Building a robust partner ecosystem is critical for driving growth and delivering value to customers. A recent webinar hosted by Rod Baptie, featuring industry leaders Meg Brennan (HP Inc.), Francisco Criado (Check Point Software), Cosmo Mariano (Unifier), and Dave Taylor (Impartner), provided actionable insights into developing enterprise businesses through strategic partnerships. This blog post distills their expertise into a comprehensive guide for channel professionals looking to enhance their enterprise strategies, optimized for SEO to drive traffic to ChannelFocusCommunity.net.
Understanding Enterprise Customer Needs
Enterprise customers today demand integrated, simplified solutions that streamline operations and reduce complexity. Meg Brennan emphasized that enterprises seek “fully integrated solutions” that are easy to maintain and manage, spanning hardware and software. This shift away from disparate point solutions reflects a broader trend toward consolidation, driven by efficiency and cost management. For vendors, this means aligning offerings with platforms that support enterprise-grade functionality and customization, as Francisco Criado noted in the context of cybersecurity.
Francisco highlighted that security priorities have become business priorities, with enterprises favoring platforms that offer flexibility in pricing and integration with hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google. These hyperscalers, managing over $350 billion in committed spend, provide a unique opportunity to accelerate sales cycles and increase deal sizes by leveraging pre-existing customer relationships.
Key Takeaways
To meet enterprise demands, focus on delivering consolidated, platform-based solutions that integrate seamlessly with hyperscalers and support customized pricing models.
Leveraging Hyperscalers for Growth
Hyperscalers—AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—are pivotal in the enterprise space due to their massive infrastructure and committed spend budgets. Francisco explained that enterprises often have unallocated budgets at the end of multi-year commitments, creating an additional funding pool for vendors. By aligning with hyperscalers, vendors can tap into these budgets, streamline onboarding, and access high-level decision-makers.
Meg and Dave underscored the importance of actively driving deals through hyperscaler marketplaces, even for renewals. This approach not only benefits vendors by securing committed spend but also strengthens partner relationships by involving them in the process. Francisco added that hyperscalers offer dedicated teams to guide vendors through integration and go-to-market strategies, making it easier to establish a presence.
Actionable Strategy
Engage with hyperscaler vendor teams to develop joint go-to-market plans. Encourage partners to leverage hyperscaler marketplaces for both new deals and renewals, ensuring a win-win for all parties. For additional support, consider third-party services that specialize in hyperscaler integrations.
Tailoring Partner Programs for Large Account Resellers (LARs) and Global System Integrators (GSIs)
Partner programs must be segmented to address the unique needs of different partner types, such as LARs (e.g., CDW, Insight) and GSIs (e.g., Accenture, EY). Dave Taylor emphasized the importance of moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, noting that managed service providers (MSPs) and GSIs have distinct requirements. For instance, GSIs focus on building comprehensive solutions that integrate multiple technologies, requiring vendors to provide technical architects and top-tier sellers to co-develop offerings.
Meg described the GSI engagement as akin to selling to a complex customer, requiring a team effort to identify opportunities that enhance the GSI’s existing services. Francisco highlighted the dual approach of top-down (strategic alignment) and bottom-up (regional sales collaboration) engagement with GSIs, ensuring both business and technical alignment.
Best Practice
Segment partner programs by partner type, offering tailored terms, conditions, and support. Assign dedicated technical and sales teams to GSIs to co-create solutions that augment their service portfolios, driving mutual value.
Strategic Alliances and Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
Strategic alliances are a force multiplier in the enterprise space, enabling vendors to integrate their solutions into broader ecosystems. Francisco stressed the importance of forming alliances with complementary hardware and software providers to deliver business outcomes rather than focusing solely on features. This approach requires deep account profiling to understand industry-specific pain points and tailor solutions accordingly.
Meg shared a successful tactic: leveraging distribution partners to identify trusted partners already embedded in target accounts, then collaborating on account-based marketing (ABM) and sales plans. This bespoke approach ensures precision targeting and maximizes the likelihood of winning new business.
Implementation Tip
Partner with distributors to pinpoint opportunities within existing accounts. Develop ABM campaigns with selected partners, aligning resources and incentives to penetrate high-value enterprise accounts.
Mitigating Channel Conflict
Channel conflict remains a perennial challenge, particularly when balancing direct and indirect sales motions. Cosmo Mariano emphasized the need to prove the ROI of the indirect channel to secure organizational buy-in. By aligning channel metrics with strategic goals and validating them with CFOs, channel leaders can justify investments in partner programs.
Francisco, operating in a 100% channel-first model at Check Point, highlighted the value of distributors in providing customer insights and facilitating partnerships. Dave advocated for clear rules of engagement, such as compensating partners fairly for new opportunities and enforcing strict policies against direct poaching. He cited an example of a customer adopting comp neutrality—equal compensation for direct and indirect sales—resulting in a standing ovation from partners.
Conflict Resolution Strategy
Establish transparent rules of engagement, including fair compensation for partner-led opportunities. Use distributor data to identify complementary sales opportunities, reinforcing the channel’s value to the organization.
Driving Partner-Led Demand Generation
Encouraging partners to hunt for enterprise customers requires more than providing leads. Cosmo emphasized the need to understand partners’ businesses and co-develop go-to-market materials tailored to their needs. For smaller partners, tools like through-channel marketing automation (TCMA) can add significant value by streamlining demand generation.
Meg reiterated that success lies in partnering closely with distributors to identify high-potential accounts, then executing targeted ABM strategies. Dave’s ROI validation workshops further empower partners by helping them justify their programs’ value to executive teams.
Practical Approach
Invest in TCMA platforms to support smaller partners. Collaborate with distributors and top partners to create customized marketing and sales assets, fostering a collaborative demand generation model.
Defining Enterprise Customer Success
Customer success in the enterprise space extends beyond the initial sale. Francisco defined success at Check Point through metrics like net retention rate, upsell/cross-sell opportunities, and customer advocacy, such as success stories and peer referrals. Meg highlighted the dual focus at HP: retention and renewal rates for software/services, and increasing share of business for devices by outperforming competitors.
Success Metrics
Track net retention, upsell/cross-sell, and advocacy for software/services. For hardware, prioritize share of business and customer preference over competitors.
Innovative Go-to-Market Strategies
The panelists shared innovative strategies that have driven success. Dave cited a customer’s comp neutrality and escalating partner compensation model, fostering long-term loyalty. Francisco’s team achieved success by targeting specific industries with tailored messaging and comprehensive customer journey support. Meg’s ABM approach, leveraging distributor insights, proved effective in winning new accounts. Cosmo advocated for targeting use cases over industries, aligning incentives to capture emerging opportunities.
Key Insight
Innovate by targeting specific use cases, leveraging ABM, and adopting comp neutrality to build a partner-centric ecosystem that drives sustainable growth.
Building an enterprise business with partners requires a strategic, segmented approach that prioritizes customer needs, leverages hyperscalers, and mitigates channel conflict. By tailoring programs for LARs and GSIs, forming strategic alliances, and driving partner-led demand generation, vendors can unlock significant growth opportunities. The insights from Meg Brennan, Francisco Criado, Cosmo Mariano, and Dave Taylor provide a roadmap for channel professionals to navigate the complexities of the enterprise market.
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