Lenovo strategically partners with Pax8, a software marketplace, attending their events not to sell hardware, but to engage with the MSP community where they are already active. This demonstrates an ecosystem-first approach focused on sharing best practices and building relationships beyond direct sales.
Related Insights
To master the channel model without prior experience, uSecure's team attended MSP-focused educational sessions at industry events, rather than just working the vendor booth. This immersion, combined with monitoring online communities like Reddit, provided deep, firsthand insight into partner pain points and desired vendor behaviors.
uSecure initially underestimated how resource-constrained MSPs are. Their breakthrough came when they moved beyond simple PDF guides and built a white-labeled sales prospecting tool. This tool helped partners automatically build a data-driven business case for their own clients, proving uSecure understood their challenges and driving scale.
The B2B sales channel has evolved from a linear reseller model to a complex ecosystem. Deals are now shaped by multiple, often unknown, partners like consultants and system integrators. Vendors must act like detectives to map this hidden influence network to succeed.
Instead of building its program in a vacuum, Lenovo proactively gathered a group of MSPs to act as an advisory council. This allowed them to understand partner needs, identify market gaps, and craft a more relevant and successful program from the outset, which they continue to iterate on.
To provide maximum flexibility, Lenovo allows partners to choose their procurement path. They can either use traditional distribution channels or engage directly through Lenovo's .com engine, Lenovo Pro. This empowers partners to select the model that best fits their business operations and desired level of autonomy.
The next evolution of partner marketing is a shift from one-to-one campaigns to an 'ecosystem-centric' model. This involves weaving together technology alliances, distributors, and service partners into a single, cohesive 'better together' narrative. This multi-partner storytelling is far more impactful and resonant for customers than siloed vendor messages.
To truly meet partners where they are, align your internal team structure with your partner segmentation strategy. Create dedicated internal groups specializing in different partner types, such as one team for advisory MSSPs and another for high-volume resellers. This ensures partners interact with managers who deeply understand their specific business model and needs.
Managed Service Providers become indispensable to vendors like Microsoft and Google by adding $7-11 of high-value services for every dollar of product revenue they generate. This value creation gives them significant leverage and makes them a more respected and crucial part of the vendor's ecosystem.
To successfully sell complex solutions like process automation and AI, resellers must first apply these principles internally. By re-engineering their own business to an MSP model, they gain the experience and credibility needed to guide clients through a similar journey, moving from vendor to trusted advisor.
Recognizing that MSPs are engineering-led, Lenovo provides its partners with the "Lenovo 360 Solutions Hub." This tool shifts the sales motion away from technical specs and towards outcome-based, strategic conversations that help MSPs identify and solve their customers' core business pain points.