Welcome to this special edition of our Partner Marketing Insights series. At the recent Partnership Leaders Catalyst Summit we hosted an exclusive Partner Marketing workshop and had the privilege of interviewing three successful Partner Marketers in a dynamic panel discussion. Here are the key takeaways from the panel with:
- Ashleigh Auld – Strategic Partner Marketing at Pleo
- Alexandra Hayter – Director, Partner Marketing at SmartVault
- Helen Martin – Global Partner Marketing Lead at Mambu
Has Partner Marketing become easier or more challenging?
More data, more accountability – Partner Marketing is gaining recognition at C-suite level which leads to increased budgets but also more focus on the Partner Marketing function. While new data and AI tools provide better visibility into tracking and reporting, they also increase the expectation for data-driven decision-making. Partner marketers now spend a significant portion of their time on analysis and reporting which takes time away from creative planning.
Large partner networks are a challenge – The growing number of partners and complexity of partner ecosystems makes the Partner Marketer role more challenging and it’s critical to prioritise quality partnerships over quantity.
Prioritisation: Who gets your attention?
The 80/20 rule still holds – 80% of pipeline results typically come from 20% of partners. Vendors must focus on those partners that will deliver tangible impact.
A documented PM strategy for partners that outlines goals, KPIs and key responsibilities on both sides is crucial to success. Regular review meetings to check progress against the plan will ensure the partnership stays on track.
The 40/30/30 Framework – A structured approach that has had great success is allocating:
- 40% of resources to Tier 1 partners (high impact)
- 30% to high-potential partners (growing accounts)
- 30% to scalable business-as-usual initiatives
Quality Over Quantity – Identifying key partners by region and their alignment with GTM priorities is critical. Leveraging partners with strong regional marketing reach can drive better efficiencies.
Tactics that work today
Intimate Executive Roundtable Events – Roundtables are delivering strong results. Positioning as thought leadership events with peers and like-minded industry experts is key. The hard sales pitch should come after, not at, the event. Post event engagement is critical and can be achieved through personalised outreach.
Webinars Still Drive Leads – Post-Covid webinar fatigue has lifted and webinars are an effective platform for storytelling and showcasing partnership value to drive leads.
ABM & Personalisation – For enterprise partners, account-based marketing (ABM) and full marketing integration (database, nurture flows, SDR workflows) are key to success.
Scalable Inbound Engine – For SMB a scalable inbound engine is critical. If lacking in-house tools and data, agencies are a great way to drive demand and support your activities.
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Learning from what hasn’t worked
Expectation setting is key – Co-marketing campaigns can cause friction if expectations around lead-sharing and contribution are not agreed upon upfront. An example: Partner 1 generated 95% of all the webinar leads but Partner 2 expected to follow up all the leads regardless of origin.
True localisation matters – For regional Partner Marketing it is important to not just localise content but also truly consider the cultural differences in market. Some tactics also resonate better in specific regains such as relationship-based marketing being more effective in geographies such as LATAM and the Middle East where in-person events outperform digital tactics.
If you had unlimited budget in one area of your job, what would you invest in?
Partner enablement! Well-enabled partners amplify reach, drive more pipeline and create long-term impact. With better training, co-branded marketing resources, and sales support, partners can independently generate and close more opportunities.
By investing more in enablement, partners can become truly self-sufficient and high-performing, generating a higher return in pipeline (conversion rate) and revenue.
A robust Partner Relationship Management (PRM) system would help streamline partner engagement, tracking, and reporting, especially for those managing reseller and referral programs.
Dedicated partner marketing SDRs
What makes Partner Marketing special – and key advice for newcomers
What we love about Partner Marketing:
- The human relationships built over time
- The faced paced nature of PM
- Building the joint story and foundations together
Advice for new Partner Marketers :
- Build strong relationships
- Have a clear strategy – Don’t get lost in the chaos; set defined goals that align with business goals
- Communicate expectations clearly – Ensure alignment on objectives, lead-sharing, and success metrics from the start.
Final Thoughts
Partner Marketing continues to evolve, with increasing expectations around data-driven decision-making, strategic prioritisation and tailored enablement. The fundamentals remain unchanged: strong relationships, clear objectives and communication continue to be the key drivers of success.