Resist adding every interested partner to your program. Instead of focusing on quantity, vet potential partners based on their profile and a clear "propensity to sell" your specific solutions. This ensures a mutually beneficial relationship and avoids wasting resources trying to force an unnatural fit.
Being the market leader can stifle creativity, leading to complacency and a reliance on "we've always done it this way." Challenger brands (number two, three, or four) are often forced to be more creative and nimble to unseat the leader, resulting in fresher, more innovative marketing strategies.
A one-size-fits-all approach to partner marketing is ineffective. Partners consume content differently based on their size, resources, and stage in their journey. Channel marketers should move away from mass campaigns and instead meet partners where they are with semi-customized outreach and assets.
To scale specialized product training, like for AI solutions, segment partners by their expertise and selling motion, not just their company size. Create tiered training programs and offerings (e.g., expert vs. associate level) that align with a partner's specific capabilities and the solutions they are likely to sell to their customers.
To scale personalization, implement a tiered approach. Provide a high-touch, "concierge" service for large partners with dedicated marketing teams, co-developing semi-custom campaigns. For smaller partners, offer a library of self-serve, brand-approved assets (like zip folders in a portal) they can adapt for their own use.
Don't dismiss past marketing tactics as outdated. Seemingly "old" ideas, like a Lego giveaway from a decade ago, can be refreshed and find new success. Conversely, once-popular tactics like webinars are losing traction, demonstrating that engagement strategies are cyclical and require constant re-evaluation.