From Push to Pull: Five Ways Channel Marketing Is Being Redefined

Michelle De Hertogh of EMC
Michelle De Hertogh of EMC

Over this last year, we witnessed sweeping changes in the enterprise IT community that reshaped the partner community and changed the way we will do business in 2015.

Broad adoption of major market disruptors like big data and cloud computing, combined with social media, are forcing the partner community to take a hard look at its traditional business models, and do the unthinkable.

VARs are no longer able to simply resell technology “to” their customers. System integrators are realizing the limitations of solely selling their services “with” technology companies.  And outsourcers who bought products directly “from” technology companies to run for their customers are seeing the need to do more.

What we’re witnessing is an evolution from “push” to “pull” channel marketing, where organizations morph their business models to change from pushing products on customers, to pulling customers in with other members of the partner community to develop and manage custom, end-to-end solutions. 

This new approach to partner marketing is quickly gaining ground with partners and technology providers. Many in the partner community are telling me this approach is accounting for 30 percent of their business, with the expectation that it will be 50 percent or more in two years.

So as we head into the New Year, here are five areas for partner organizations to consider for a possible 2015 makeover.  

The Smarter, Better Connected Customer

At the center of this evolution is a customer who is smarter and better connected than ever before, thanks in large part to social media. Now, 60 percent of today’s IT customers are familiar with the technology before ever meeting with sales.  

Customers are engaging with each other online for solutions to their problems, seeking examples of thought leadership and best practices to help them drive innovations around areas like big data and hybrid cloud computing. Instead of looking for the lowest possible price and speeds and feeds on point products, they’re seeking complete end-to-end solutions and trusted advisors who can help deploy and manage them.

New Marketing Strategies

To reach this new customer, partners will have to replace static marketing materials like direct mail and brochures with social media and in-person engagements. Channel partners must now join discussions over social media and communities to demonstrate their thought leadership and customer successes.

In this new era, content becomes king as we turn to white papers, blogs, webinars, Twitter chats, and articles in tech trades, which lend more credibility to our position as tech leaders. Customer success stories and testimonials are especially important as a means for customers to share their challenges and successes.

NEXT: A Better Connection With Customers