007: IT Channel Marketing – How it Works, Why Solution Providers Exist, and Trends for Partner Enablement with Dan Mott

Show Highlights:

Part 1 – About Dan Mott, Lifelong Learning, and IT Channel Marketing Basics

  • 01:15 – Dan Mott as a person; his background following influencers like Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tim Ferriss to fuel his addiction to lifelong learning, tacit knowledge
  • 07:05 – Back to college, how did Dan get into marketing and IT focused industry with no background
  • 11:00 – Intro to his role as Director of Marketing at A Fluent Vision
  • 13:00 – What is IT marketing and the channel: manufacturers, distributors, resellers/ solution providers/ partners.
  • 16:15 – Using a hospital system’s IT needs as an example, Aaron outlines the structure of the IT channel and why IT solution providers and distributors exist and why the manufacturer “sells and markets” through the channel
  • 20:00 – Dan explains why direct sales staff focuses on Fortune 500 but couldn’t compete direct to consumer at scale
  • 21:00 – Dan talks about the State of Partner Marketing Report for 2018; Conducting research for 2019
  • 23:45 – MDF (Marketing Development Funds) specifics channel sales team, don’t know how to use or have access; sometimes as high as 70% funds expiring

Part 2 – The State of Partner Marketing for 2019 and Common Challenges for Manufacturers, Distributors, and Solution Providers

  • 27:00 – Manufacturer concerns that solution providers are hurrying up to use the funds and how manufacturers are better enabling partners
  • 29:15 – Solution providers are getting sophisticated; trends channel primarily “shipped boxes” but now getting niche and specialized and leading with their brand versus focus on co-brand
  • 31:45 – Aaron talks about Account Based Marketing and solving business problems for the targeted companies (end users of the technology)
  • 33:50 – What to expect for 2019 in partner marketing and solving problems for customers with IT marketing
  • 37:40 – Tactics for doing tactics is pointless, much more programmatic and long term strategy for building brand and lead gen, nurture becoming more beneficial and necessary
  • 42:00 – Dan’s final comments regarding the ongoing battle with sales and marketing and the accountability of each; how sales and marketing can help each other
  • 50:00 – Closing remarks

Find Dan and A Fluent Vision online:

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