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

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