What I’m seeing right now in tech, and especially SaaS companies, is the constant pressure to do more, with less. And no surprise, this is especially the case in partner and channel marketing. Budgets are largely flat (despite sales looking like they are picking up…this doesn’t seem to be filtering through to marketing budgets right now!), buyer journeys are more complex than ever, and more people are looking for added value in every sale. In this environment, one thing is clear: partners and alliances are no longer optional – they’re central to growth.
A flurry of new data and CMO insights seems to confirm it. Today’s marketing leaders aren’t just “supporting” partner programmes; they’re building entire growth strategies around them.
Here’s 5 things I’m noticing:
1. Ecosystems aren’t just nice to have – they’re a growth engine
As Forrester put it in their July 2025 update:
“B2B organisations are increasingly relying on partner ecosystems to fulfil buyer and customer expectations… B2B buyers and customers continue to highlight preferences for working with partner ecosystems.”
And this shift isn’t small. According to Forrester:
“67% of B2B leaders plan for their indirect revenue – revenue transacted by partners – to grow above or significantly above last year… Two-thirds expect partner-influenced revenue to grow more than 30% over the previous year.”
That’s a huge vote of confidence in the power of strategic alliances. If you follow Jay McBain (and who doesn’t?) you’ll know he’s been saying this for a while now, too.
2. The measurement challenge – and opportunity
Of course, partnering brings its own challenges. In particular, proving ROI on partner marketing is moving to a board-level imperative rather than a nice to have, reflecting the importance of growth through the channel. As one SaaS CMO shared via Gartner:
“We use the data that we have to convince leadership to get on board, but I don’t always trust the data because we tend to overemphasise first-touch.”
We’ve all been there. Attribution models often fall short when multiple partners and touchpoints are in play. But rather than shying away, the most forward-thinking marketers are investing in more robust data, shared dashboards, and better visibility – because if you can’t measure it, you can’t grow it. (Of course, that’s assuming you’re not creating channel conflict by actually competing with your partners in the market! ;))
It’s also why I’m seeing a stronger focus on core partners and strategic alliances like GSIs – channel conflict is easier to avoid when you’re truly going to market together, and data sharing becomes easier in an atmosphere where there’s trust.
3. ABM is evolving – and partners are at the centre of it
Linked to the point above, account-based marketing remains a key area of focus for many tech businesses and there’s a rise in partner-driven ABM motions, where marketing campaigns are co-created and co-delivered to provide value to shared key accounts. As Forrester notes:
“B2B organisations are increasingly relying on partner ecosystems, digital routes-to-market, innovators, and influencers.”
This isn’t just about pipeline generation; it’s expanding beyond that remit and is about building trust and long-term relationships in a crowded market. When I was VP for Worldwide Partners at Sage, we led the way in through partner ABM, piloting what Gartner at time called the first partner ABM play in the channel – and that was almost a decade ago now!
4. Marketing budgets are flat – but expectations aren’t
According to Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey,
“CMOs report that their marketing budgets for 2025 remain flat at 7.7% of overall company revenue.” Yet at the same time:
“61% of CMOs now see their function as a profit centre, not just a cost centre.”
In a tricky market, marketeers are always expected to do more with less, and partners can be an effective force multiplier — but only if we invest in setting them up for success, enabling them properly and measuring their impact rigorously.
5. Marketing as a true business partner
Perhaps most strikingly, some CMOs are rethinking the purpose of their entire function. As a recent LinkedIn piece put it:
“78% of CMOs say making their function a more strategic business partner to the CEO is a medium or high priority.” BUT
“Only 12% of marketing leaders believe their current organisational design will help them meet revenue targets next year.”
That means more shaking up of marketing departments is inevitable. And sadly, what I’ve often seen is that partner marketing departments and budgets are the first to get cut. Yet, when taken with all the other points above, they should be where MORE investment is directed.
As a tech or Saas marketing leader, you need to not only work with sales, product, and corporate teams, but — critically — with your partner ecosystems to drive growth.
So, what should you be thinking about?
The future of SaaS and especially partner marketing is collaborative, data-driven, and partner-first. The get the returns that boards are demanding, as marketers we need to step up: to build stronger alliances, create shared value, and measure success together.
In short, if you’re not actively thinking about how to put partners at the heart of your growth strategy, now is the time.
How can you do it?
✔️ Put partners at the heart of your go-to-market strategy.
✔️ Build joint value propositions — not just shared campaigns.
✔️ Invest in data and attribution so you can show real impact.
✔️ Above all, treat partners as an extension of your growth team, not just an add-on.
Are partners central to your growth strategy yet? How are you approaching ecosystem marketing this year?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Gemma Telford
Gemma Telford is the founder of channel marketing agency SheHer
