- August 3, 2021
- Posted by: Larry Walsh
- Category: Podcasts & Videos
Heather K. Margolis, the founder of Channel Maven and Spark My Channel, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how marketing to and through channel partners is changing and what most technology companies get wrong.
If you want sales, you need to start with marketing. It’s a well-worn refrain in the channel that partners are subpar at marketing. According to Channelnomics research, between 60% and 80% of partners have no marketing plans, and the majority lack marketing capabilities. Such shortcomings necessitate that vendors pick up the load for producing materials and messaging to promote products and services. Yet partners frequently say the availability and quality of the marketing support they get from vendors is insufficient or ineffective. The evolving use of digital tools to convey messages, identify and cultivate customers, and reinforce value messages challenges vendors and partners to up their marketing game. Successful vendors produce more diverse marketing content, leveraging tools such as through-channel marketing automation (TCMA) and training partners in marketing techniques to produce more fruitful results. In this episode of Changing Channels, Margolis and Walsh revive their long-running Sibling Rivalry chats to discuss what vendors and partners need to do better channel marketing.