The Partnership Path EQ Selling

In this episode of "The Partnership Path," hosts Toni and John discuss co-marketing with partners as part of their go-to-market series. They explore the complexities of collaborating with partners of various sizes and marketing maturity levels, sharing their experiences and insights to help partnership and channel managers enhance their co-marketing strategies.
Key Topics Covered
• Podcast Recognition: The podcast was listed among the best Channel partnership podcasts by Canalis, highlighting its industry relevance.
• Importance of Partner Marketing: Emphasis on the critical role of co-marketing in successful partnerships.
• Challenges in Co-Marketing:
• Variability in partner sizes and marketing maturity.
• Differences in marketing expertise between partner managers and their partners.
• Strategies for Effective Co-Marketing:
• Transparency about marketing capabilities and gaps between partners.
• Identifying the right type of marketing for different stages of customer awareness:
1. Awareness Marketing: For audiences unaware of the brand.
2. Interest Marketing: For audiences aware of the brand but unaware of their problem.
3. Decision Marketing: For audiences aware of both their problem and the brand's solution.
• Content Needs and Marketing Assets:
• Importance of providing relevant content like case studies, use cases, and product capabilities.
• Adapting vendor content to be relevant for the partner’s offerings.
• Importance of Clear Goals:
• Aligning on the specific objectives of marketing campaigns.
• Utilizing marketing materials appropriately based on the customer’s stage in the decision-making process.
• Community Insights: Invitation to the audience to share their experiences and strategies in managing co-marketing efforts.

The podcast “The Partnership Path” offers a platform for discussing challenges and insights in partner management, celebrating expertise in the field. The hosts, Toni Kent and John, reflect on their journey over 28 episodes, sharing their experiences and gratitude towards the community for their participation and contributions.

Key Points

Community Engagement:

The podcast emphasizes the importance of community, highlighting contributions from 16 different listeners across various episodes.
The hosts express gratitude towards these contributors, noting that their participation has enriched the content.

Content Structure and Strategy:

The podcast is structured around introducing topics and then featuring community members who discuss these topics in depth.
The upcoming seasons are planned to focus on themes like “Go to Market Together” and “Elevating Your Game,” based on listener feedback and suggestions.

Learning and Professional Development:

Both hosts acknowledge that they are continuously learning through the podcast, despite being considered experts.
The podcast serves as a platform for sharing new perspectives and strategies in partner management, contributing to the professional development of its listeners.

Encouragement of Participation:

The hosts encourage listeners to spread the word about the podcast and participate in future episodes.
They invite listeners to suggest topics and share their insights, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.

Focus on Practical Advice and Real-World Application:

The podcast aims to provide practical advice and strategies that listeners can apply in their professional lives.
Episodes cover fundamental aspects of partner management and explore advanced topics based on community interest.

Takeaways

Engagement and Community Building: The podcast highlights the value of building a supportive community where professionals can share insights and learn from each other.

Continuous Learning: Even experts can benefit from new perspectives and continuous learning, reinforcing the importance of staying open to new ideas.

Structured Content: Organizing content into themed seasons based on listener feedback ensures that the podcast remains relevant and valuable.

Encouraging Participation: Actively inviting listener participation and feedback helps create a dynamic and interactive platform.

Practical Focus: Providing real-world insights and practical advice makes the podcast a valuable resource for partner management professionals.

The podcast aims to elevate careers in partner management by fostering a collaborative environment and providing actionable insights, making it a valuable resource for both seasoned professionals and newcomers in the field.

Listen to Garrett Kramer @ Infor discuss Partnership Alignment - Misalignment.

Listen to Joy Verplank @ AVEVA discuss Partnership Alignment - Misalignment.

Listen to Beth Shapira @ Microsoft discuss Partnership Alignment - Misalignment.

In this episode, the hosts, Toni and John, discuss the concept of alignment issues in partnerships and how they impact partnership performance. They emphasize that whenever there are execution issues in a partnership, it is usually a result of being out of alignment at a strategic, tactical, or execution level.

They share examples and insights on how to address and prevent alignment issues, including defining rules of engagement, resolving conflicts, and understanding competitors’ partnerships. They also highlight the importance of recognizing that not all partnerships are strategic, and some are purely transactional.

Key topics covered in the video:


Introduction to “The Partnership Path” podcast

Importance of alignment in partnership management

Common execution issues and their relation to alignment

Different levels of alignment: strategic, tactical, and execution

Addressing alignment issues through defined processes and engagement rules

Understanding competitors’ partnerships and boundaries

Differentiating between strategic and transactional partnerships

Encouraging listener engagement and sharing experiences