When it comes to your B2B marketing if you want to cut through the noise and get noticed you need to shake things up a bit, right? You can’t just do what everyone else is doing.

You’ll just end up swimming (or more likely drowning) in a sea of sameness.

And as you know we practice what we preach here at Sharper HQ. That’s why in our second episode of the Channel Marketing Champs podcast, we’re mixing things up a smidge.

Instead of speaking with a traditional marketer (we still love you traditional marketers, don’t run away!), we’re joined by Joel Harrison, Editor-in-Chief of B2B Marketing, that well known and well-loved bastion of brilliance for all things B2B.

(Are we talking about Joel and/or B2B marketing there? You decide).

What Joel brings to proceedings is a unique, journalistic perspective on the ever-growing and ever-shifting conversation around channel and partner marketing.

And in this episode, Joel, along with our MD, Russ unpack the challenges, opportunities, and future developments we should all have our eyes on if we want to make a success of things with our channel marketing.

You can, of course, listen to the full episode itself right here but we’ve also packaged up some of the key takeaways and nuggets of knowledge (mmm, takeaway nuggets) from the episode in the following blog.

Enjoy.

The Rise (or Lack Thereof) of Channel Marketing

One of the big points raised by Joel is the ongoing conversation (albeit a background one in most instances) about the rise (or lack thereof) of channel marketing.

For over two decades (and probably longer), we've been hearing that channel marketing is or could be the next big thing, but the reality is that it hasn’t always broken through and fully lived up to the hype.

While channel marketing continues to be a powerful tool in the B2B landscape for those who know how to use it, it has remained, as Joel puts it, "a niche within a niche."

Despite its huge (and seemingly untapped) potential, channel marketing struggles to break through to the mainstream of B2B marketing consciousness.

Vital tool/discipline for some. Enigmatic and, in many ways, misunderstood by many.

But why is this? Why hasn’t channel marketing gained the attention, plaudits and love (we all think) it deserves?

The Complexities of Channel Marketing

As Joel points out, one of the primary challenges of channel marketing is managing, coordinating, and “herding the cats” of a diverse network of third-party organisations.

Each partner comes with varying levels of knowledge, commitment, and understanding so getting them aligned and activated is no easy task. As a result driving the right (or needed) behaviour among these partners that then drives the desired end results is harder than many realise.

It can be a very tangled web that is woven, and one that creates conflict.

Channel marketers at vendor brands often struggle with getting their downstream partners to fully align with their messages and value proposition, especially when those partners may not have an inherent affinity towards the brand and/or have their own brand to think about too.

It can’t be a one-way relationship of things being just pushed down to partners.

The difficulty in resolving this conflict and then driving alignment means that much of the focus is placed on ensuring that partners just do the basics. With so much effort being put into doing the simple stuff it leaves little in the tank for the kind of creative, high-impact campaigns and market-facing activity that can make a real difference.

And it’s making a difference that really counts (especially if you’re looking to win some awards with your partner marketing activity).

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the B2B Marketing Awards

As part of his role, Joel is closely involved in reviewing, finalising and ensure all is above board with the judging for the shining jewel in the marketing awards calendar, the B2B Marketing Awards. (Which Sharper have won a few of in our time, just FYI)

However, in the most recent judging process he noticed a trend of distinctly underwhelming entries in the channel marketing space.

Despite some strong submissions, that ticked the boxes in terms of educating partners there wasn’t any "wow factor" that stood out as truly groundbreaking.

The challenge here, according to Joel, ties back the complexities already outlined; that channel marketing campaigns often focus so heavily on getting partners to the baseline of understanding and alignment that it leaves little space for the creative elements that make a campaign truly stand out.

Building Award-Winning Channel Campaigns

So, what does it take to create an award-winning channel marketing campaign then?

In Joels eyes it’s driving proper activation through creative means that goes beyond just simple alignment.

The foundation for activity must be solid, of course. Partners need to understand the offer and align with the brand. But it shouldn’t be ALL about that.

Once you’ve got that right, you need to then do the next step. That’s when things then open up for creativity, impact, and, ultimately, results.

In short, building a channel marketing campaign that stands out requires more than just getting partners to the starting line.

It’s about crafting an experience that resonates with both partners and – crucially -customers, with creative ideas that break through the noise.

Tips for Becoming a Channel Marketing Champ

If you’re looking to elevate your channel marketing efforts – and who isn’t, right? - Joel offers a few practical tips:

1. Understand your audience and your partners: Channel marketing is all about the relationships you build. Understanding the needs and motivations of both partners and – crucially – end customers and then nurturing these relationships effectively is critical.
   
   
2. Focus on the fundamentals of B2B marketing: While channel marketing has its own set of complexities, the fundamentals of B2B marketing still apply. Diagnosis, strategy, comms and knowing the right routes to market to use.
   
   
3. Go beyond just getting people to the baseline: The challenge is not only in getting your partners to understand what needs to happen but inspiring them to act. Channel marketing campaigns need to go beyond the "vanilla" approach of just educating partners and introduce fresh ideas that resonate on a deeper level and help them activate in market.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Channel Marketing

Joel finishes off the episode by discussing the future of channel marketing and the challenges of creating more space for these discussions.

While channel marketing continues to grow in importance, right here and now it’s still very much a niche part of the wider B2B marketing landscape.

As Joel points out, if the industry shows increased interest and demand, there will be more focus on channel marketing at events like B2B Marketing's summer conference, IGNITE.

So, it’s up to channel marketers to fight the good fight and push the agenda on channel marketing (for the greater good of all).

Listen to the Full Episode

For all the insights and to hear the deeper discussions with Joel Harrison, listen to the full episode of the Channel Marketing Champs podcast.

Whether you're a channel marketing veteran or just starting out, this episode will give you valuable takeaways to help you up your game, improve your campaigns and stand out in the competitive B2B space.