The challenge
Sage approached Sherpa to help them drive engagement with their Channel Partners and to deliver high-quality leads for their flagship product in multiple regions.
Channel Partners represent a vital route to market for Sage, delivering bespoke integration options and support that provide significant added value to customers.
Sherpa designed a unique global programme to deliver ABM (Account-Based Marketing) ‘through’ channel Partners.
Key deliverables
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Increased marketing and sales skills in Partners by educating on ABM
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Measurable pipeline revenue
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Pilot roll-out to global two-year campaign with $16M projected revenue
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To deliver an award-winning channel marketing initiative
Campaign
The initial step was to design a programme pilot, aimed to motivate Sage Partners by providing access to:
- Marketing technology and expertise to develop their skills
- Vertically aligned, re-usable, bespoke content
- Tactics to reach key decision-makers to deliver an engaged vertical pipeline
A three-month programme was piloted with four carefully selected Partners in the UK and the US. A top-to-bottom funnel, multi-tactic ABM campaign was designed to target key decision-makers driven by intent data.
Global ABM programme
Following the successful pilot, we have subsequently rolled out the ABM programme globally across 27 Partners – delivering a 1-2-many and 1-2-few campaign featuring multiple touchpoints.
The first year's programme saw 42 pieces of curated content created per Partner, utilising direct mail and inside sales support. By utilising platforms such as Discover Org, Bombora, Dun & Bradstreet and Kompass we overlaid intent data to the target audience list to identify surging accounts to follow-up on.
In year two we adapted to the changing environment and subsequent need for more interactive digital content. We also built on the lessons learned in year one to widen the audience, refine opportunity definitions and change the content structure to introduce Vendor-led content at top-of-funnel through to Partner-led nurture content at bottom-of-funnel.
The ABM programme continues to bring onboard new Partners and verticalised content, supporting pipeline generation and aiding sales opportunity qualification.
