5 Ways To Shift Your Marketing Strategy From Fluff To Force

Marketing in the IT channel has often been dismissed as “fluffy,” but those days are over.

Today, strategic marketing is a driving force behind growth, partner success, and competitive advantage. By aligning with business goals, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and building trust through data, marketing leaders can transform perceptions and prove their indispensable role in the channel’s success.

Here’s how to make the shift from fluff to force.

Having spent nearly three decades in marketing, including leadership roles, I’ve seen first-hand how marketing’s role has evolved, particularly in industries like IT where technical expertise often takes centre stage.

The IT channel presents unique challenges and opportunities for marketers, but the core principles remain the same: align with business objectives, build credibility, and ensure marketing contributes directly to growth.

Top 5 tips for driving growth in a channel-driven ecosystem

In the IT channel, where partnerships, ecosystems, and customer needs are complex, marketing leaders must take a strategic approach to demonstrate value and drive growth.

Here are my top five tips for making an impact:

1. Align marketing with business and channel objectives

Channel marketing works best when it’s tied to tangible business outcomes. Whether it’s increasing partner engagement, accelerating pipeline velocity, or enabling joint go-to-market strategies, every initiative should support overarching goals.

For example, if your business aims to increase partner deal registration, marketing should focus on enabling partners with resources like co-branded campaigns or lead-generation toolkits. When marketing directly influences channel success metrics, its role becomes indispensable.

2. Collaborate across functions

The IT channel thrives on collaboration, and so should your marketing strategy. Anyone who has every worked with me will be familiar with hearing me say marketing cannot exist in isolation. Partner closely with your vendor teams, sales, product, and technical teams to ensure consistency and alignment across every touchpoint. This is especially critical in an industry where technical accuracy is as important as creative messaging.

By integrating marketing into product roadmaps or involving technical teams in content creation, you not only ensure accuracy but also foster alignment that resonates with partners and customers alike. This collaboration strengthens both internal cohesion and external messaging.

3. Leverage data to build trust

In marketing, data is more than a performance metric – it’s your credibility. In the IT channel, where ROI is scrutinised, transparency is key. Work closely with finance teams and decision-makers like the CFO to create dashboards that showcase relevant metrics, such as cost-per-lead, campaign ROI, and partner pipeline growth.

But remember, building trust isn’t just about showcasing successes. Being transparent about underperforming campaigns and sharing what you learned from them strengthens your credibility. Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion; with it, you’re a trusted partner in driving growth.

4. Embrace failure as a learning opportunity

Innovation in marketing comes from experimentation, and experimentation means some things won’t work. But failure isn’t a dead end – it’s an opportunity to learn something new about your audience or partners.

In the IT channel, trying new approaches can yield invaluable insights. For instance, testing different messaging for partner campaigns may reveal untapped opportunities or highlight what truly resonates. By using data and customer insights to refine your approach, even “failures” can drive future growth.

5. Champion customer and partner insights

The IT channel revolves around relationships, whether with partners, resellers, or end customers. Marketers must act as the voice of the customer and the partner, bringing insights to the table that drive decision-making.

This includes understanding partner challenges, end-user needs, and how your offerings solve real-world problems. By translating these insights into actionable strategies – such as tailored enablement programmes or targeted campaigns – you position marketing as a vital driver of both partner and customer success.

The role of failure in channel marketing

In an industry where technical precision is paramount, the idea of failure can feel risky. But in marketing, failure isn’t the opposite of success – it’s an essential part of learning. I’ve always approached failure as a way to uncover new insights about the audience. To use my favourite Thomas Edison quote: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Channel marketers need to be bold enough to experiment with campaigns, measure results, and adjust based on what works. Investing in understanding partner and customer needs, backed by data and fact, enables marketers to turn even underperforming campaigns into learning opportunities. This iterative approach ensures future strategies are stronger and better aligned with channel goals.

Marketing’s strategic seat at the table

For marketing to thrive in the IT channel, it needs representation at the top table. Yet, many organisations still see marketing as an afterthought. According to McKinsey, while 83% of global CEOs recognise marketing as a growth driver, nearly 20% fail to see the connection. In the channel, this disconnect can lead to missed opportunities to drive partner success and market differentiation.

When marketing is integrated into strategic decision-making – bringing insights on customer behaviour, market trends, and competitive positioning – it shifts from being a tactical function to a growth enabler. Organisations that give marketing a voice at the highest levels are better positioned to build stronger partnerships, create impactful campaigns, and ultimately drive channel success.

Reflections: elevating marketing’s role in IT

I’m in the fortunate position of being part of a senior leadership team that is truly something special. We have an even split of females and males, from diverse disciplines, all bringing unique perspectives to the room. What sets us apart isn’t just the diversity – it’s the way we operate. Decisions aren’t dictated; they’re made based on fact, sound judgment, and open, honest discussion.

This environment not only empowers marketing but also drives innovation and growth across the business.

The founders firmly believe in the shared and collective expertise we each bring, and they implement change based on those discussions. Sure, we don’t always agree, but our debates are grounded in honesty, authenticity, and passion.

This experience reinforces something I’ve long believed: marketing thrives when given a platform to contribute strategically, to be part of the conversation that shapes a company’s future. It’s proof that when marketing is seen as a driver of growth and innovation, incredible things happen – not just for the business but for the people who lead it.

For the IT channel, the takeaway is clear: marketing has the potential to be a strategic powerhouse, but it requires investment, alignment, and a seat at the table. By focusing on collaboration, data, and transparency, channel marketers can prove their value and help their organisations thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.