Sherpa Insights

Smarter Partner Marketing Concierge: The Key to Unlocking Partner Success

Written by Tom Perry | Feb 13, 2025 10:58:17 AM

Smarter Partner Marketing Concierge: The Key to Unlocking Partner Success

 

Introduction 

 

What is Partner Marketing Concierge? 
  • Refers to both the person providing the service and the service itself. 
  • Designed to help vendors amplify their Product/Solution in the market through and with partners. 
  • Often outsourced native language teams are used to scale up the support available from a vendor to their partner base. 
Why do vendors need it? 
  • Despite having resources, many vendors struggle to enable the right partners, or enough partners to effectively deliver on KPI’s. 
  • Common obstacles for partners include:
      • Lack of Time: Partners have their own marketing actions to support, and/or lack the scale to drive and track multiple vendor campaigns. 
      • Lack of Assets: Without the right content library, joint value proposition partners can’t execute effective campaigns. 
      • Lack of Skill: They may be skilled in sales but lack marketing expertise, and/or access to technology to support automation and workflows. 


Key Use Cases for Partner Concierge 

Overcoming Partner Marketing Challenges 
  • Not all partners will engage with vendor solutions because: 
    • You’re not their only priority:  Partners work with multiple vendors, plus have their own marketing strategies to deliver.  
    • Engagement is low: Partners may not reach the critical campaign execution stage due to competing priorities and limited mindshare. 
    • Lack of feedback loops: Vendors often only engage partners during formal events (e.g., QBRs), leaving them blind to partner challenges or opportunities. 
How Partner Concierge Fills the Gaps 
  • Proven Discovery Process: 
    • Avoid the “one-size-fits-all” mistake, personalise your support. 
    • Take the time to understand partners’ marketing and sales funnel, where do they excel and where are they losing traction. 
  • Tailored Approach: 
    • Focus on fixing what isn’t working, while amplifying what’s already successful. 
What Does Partner Concierge Deliver? 

More Than Just a Service 
  • Eyes and Ears on the Ground: having additional resources to work alongside partners in their native language creates scale and is a valued touchpoint between vendors and partners. 
  • Gateway to Deeper Engagement: Partners feel supported and listened to, creating more engaged partners, primed for more advanced campaigns and strategic initiatives which in turn increases marketing funnel ROI. 
Guided by Data, Delivered by Experts 

Concierge services aren’t for every partner;  

use data to pinpoint partner clusters where you can focus on their specific needs, create activation pathways, and measure the results.  

Partner Marketing Support Framework 
  1. Analysis: Evaluate partner readiness, assets, and skills. 
  2. Planning: Develop tailored go-to-market strategies. 
  3. Execution: Help partners launch campaigns aligned to their goals. 
Concierge Insights: Closing the Loop 

 

How the Program Evolves 
  • Partner needs and priorities change—vendors must stay agile: 
    • Concierge activities feed data into tools like EdisonAI to ensure alignment with partner propositions and Martech (Marketing Technology) stacks. 
    • Maintain an evolving pipeline of engaged partners—acknowledging that not all will stay active or aligned.
Evaluating and Scaling the Program 
  • Keep a steady flow of partners entering the program. 
  • Continuously evaluate outcomes to identify partners ready for deeper collaboration and those who need additional support. 
Conclusion: A Smarter Way to Partner Success 
  • Partner Marketing Concierge isn’t just a service; it’s a strategic enabler for vendors and their partners. 
  • By addressing blind spots—whether time, skill, or asset gaps—it empowers partners to effectively market vendor solutions. 
  • With data-driven insights and expert guidance, concierge services create value across the partner ecosystem, driving long-term success for both vendors and partners. 

Ready to unlock the full potential of your Partner Marketing efforts? Learn how Sherpa’s Partner Concierge service can drive success for your ecosystem here.