When creating partner marketing assets, avoid bespoke one-offs. Instead, build foundational tools that the partner with the fewest resources can use 'out of the box.' This ensures scalability, as more advanced partners can still adapt and customize the core components for their own needs.
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To support smaller partners who lack marketing resources, vendors can offer a concierge service through their partner demand center. This provides hands-on human help for executing pre-built, turnkey campaigns. This model drives significant adoption and results from the long-tail segment, which often feels neglected by vendors.
Instead of a single, monolithic presentation, break sales pitch decks into distinct, reusable modules within a shared design platform like Canva. This system allows teams to quickly assemble highly customized pitches by combining the specific modules relevant to each prospective client.
Acknowledge that partners are time-poor and inundated with requests. The best enablement meets them where they are by creating easy, self-service experiences. Provide customizable collateral with pre-filled messaging and prescriptive guidance to eliminate friction and encourage immediate action.
While individually small, the collective business from your "long tail" of partners creates a huge compound effect, forming a significant part of your overall revenue. This justifies investing in scalable, simple programs and a two-tier distribution model to serve them. This long tail provides essential market reach and commercial proximity that larger partners cannot.
Instead of one monolithic pitch deck that gets tweaked for each client, break it into modular components within a shared environment like Canva. Your team can then quickly assemble a tailored presentation by combining relevant modules, increasing personalization and efficiency for each pitch.
Constantly creating new launch materials leads to burnout and inefficiency. The key to scaling is to document what works—webinars, emails, social posts—and reuse those assets for subsequent launches. By iterating on a proven system, you build momentum, reduce costs, and become known for a core offer.
The most effective partner marketing strategy isn't about getting partners to resell your product. Zendesk's Amy Avalos argues it's about enabling them to sell their own unique value, with your technology as the engine. This positions them as trusted advisors and strengthens their brand.
Escape the content creation treadmill. An effective strategy is to produce a small number of high-quality, high-performing pillar assets. These core ideas can then be endlessly remixed into different formats and angles, maximizing their impact and reducing the need for constant net-new creation.
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.
Vendors often create overly sophisticated partner programs, believing more features add more value. However, complexity hinders adoption because partners lack the time to understand intricate systems. Simplicity is not just a preference; it is a prerequisite for effectiveness. A straightforward program will always outperform a complex one.