Best of LinkedIn: Channel Marketing CW 33/ 34

The last two weeks in Channel Marketing highlighted a diverse mix of strategic priorities. While some posts stressed fundamentals of partner program design and engagement, others shifted to digitalization and automation as well as ecosystem developments. Below is a structured overview of the main signals.

Date

August 25, 2025

Channel Marketing

Thomas Allgeyer

Methodology: Every two weeks we collect most relevant posts on LinkedIn for selected topics and create an overall summary only based on these posts. If you´re interested in the single posts behind, you can find them here: https://linktr.ee/thomasallgeyer. Have a great read!

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Partnership Strategy & Enablement

Partner portals and PRMs should only be built with direct partner input to avoid high cost and low adoption risk
Prescriptive enablement is advancing through co-sell preparation, aligned playbooks, and account-based plans that anchor support where opportunities actually sit
Stagnant partner models are being reengineered with tighter strategic alignment and outcome-based measurement to ensure growth and accountability
Fundamentals such as onboarding, enablement, and activation are treated as prerequisites for scale, not optional add-ons
Distributors and vendors are urged to apply clear decision frameworks when structuring channel programs to ensure repeatability and consistency

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Partnerships & Vendor Ecosystem

AWS funding opportunities, including MAP for migrations, are being reframed as material untapped value for partners
Broadcom’s closure of VMware VCSP is driving providers to evaluate alternatives such as Apache CloudStack for sustainability
Microsoft partnerships are optimized through practices that stress customer value, deal contribution, alignment, and relationship investment
Strategic alliances such as Titan Data Solutions with Scale Computing and Supermicro expand global HCI scale and reach
SAP PartnerEdge Open Ecosystem changes require recalibration, with the Build track remaining available for committed applicants
Clay’s relaunch of its Partner Program is positioned to support agency collaboration and drive partner-aligned growth initiatives

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Digitalization & Automation

AI is deployed to eliminate manual PartnerOps tasks, increasing efficiency and scalability
AI-driven marketing and enablement approaches are being applied to demand generation and pipeline acceleration in B2B environments
Data-driven pipeline building via partner portal platforms reinforces forecasting discipline and sales execution
Lack of AI adoption is emerging as a red flag for senior go-to-market roles and partner leaders
Limits of AI-generated content reaffirm the need for strong partner marketing execution and differentiated messaging
Shifts in hyperscaler relationships are actively reshaping partner expectations and redefining motion design

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Partner Engagement & Value

Partner success is reframed around authentic engagement, listening, and addressing needs rather than chasing surface-level metrics
Recognition and non-monetary rewards are integrated as complements to financial incentives for stronger alignment
Trust, cultural fit, and relationship depth are emphasized as the core of sustainable co-sell and joint marketing success
Enhanced partner visibility and shared marketing support are prioritized to reinforce loyalty and value perception

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Go-to-Market & Growth

Integrated go-to-market motions align sales, marketing, and partner resources for amplified customer impact
Channel strategy design is reframed as a choice among direct, indirect, hybrid, and franchising models to best deliver value
Strategic partner marketing plays accelerate deal velocity, particularly in cybersecurity and SaaS ecosystems
Rising 2025 channel marketing budgets confirm scalability and efficiency as growth priorities across industries

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Leadership & Operating Model

Sales-to-channel leadership promotions are questioned where skill sets misalign with partner-led execution models
Partnerships are treated as a dedicated growth lever requiring full investment, not as a secondary responsibility
RevOps alignment is reframed as a structural necessity to connect PartnerOps with core sales and marketing processes
Culture and collaboration remain central, with AI’s evolving role positioned as a catalyst for future channel teamwork
Podcasts and community-driven content are leveraged as continuous enablement for channel leaders and operators

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