In the wake of yet another company getting into the channel martech game, I ask you to examine this study.
“According to data collected by the SiriusDecisions Command Center, fewer than 15% of partners engage in the marketing programs their vendors deliver. Similarly, a compilation of three surveys of IT channel partners generating less than $10 million annually revealed that only 23% of IT channel partners with between five and 10 employees accessed or used a brand-provided marketing platform on a monthly basis in the last year.”
I see this from service providers all the time. They get MDF (marketing dollars from vendors) from AT&T for APEX or from Xerox, HP, et al. But they don’t put them to use in a Lead Generation campaign mainly due to lack of time, skill and “I-don’t-want-to-touch-that”.
Buying lists, collating data, creating an offer, copy writing, graphics design – then putting all that together and tracking it. On top of that for best results A/B testing should be done. It is an uphill battle for most service providers and channel partners. They want to, just don’t.
There are a number of marketing firms that booth at channel expos, but that doesn’t seem to convert more partners to hire them. I have seen the proposals: often there is a disconnect between agency and prospect.
The disconnect could be budget. The budget has to be reasonable to the partner’s budget and expected return.
The disjoiner could be desired outcome (lead gen versus branding, for instance).
More likely it is who is going to do what.
If you want to get into the partner marketing game, you will need to bring project management along.
Marketing firms would like to get in the space because TMCA (through-channel marketing automation) means corporate dollars (MDF spend, not client budget). If the martech firm can get efficient at it and scale it, it can be profitable.
“According to a recent Forrester report, the market for TCMA solutions will grow to $1.18 billion by 2023,” according to this source. Big dollars.
For the partner or provider, how do they know if the martech firm can do it?
The firm needs some channel competence. It also needs some familiarity with the telecom or IT products and services (or how does the copy, offer and message get done?).
The marketing firm has to have a project manager, an SEO expert and a copywriter, at the least. Most firms that specialize in PR or social media may not have the ability to run a lead gen campaign for a partner (MSP or other type of partner).
For the partner, you need to choose a marketing firm that has proven results that you are looking for and a playbook on how to get them. Then you have to follow the playbook, which may require some lifting on your own part. Marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum or in a lab somewhere.
If you need help finding a firm or you want someone to project manage them, give our offices a call RAD-INFO INC at (813) 963-5884