Cosmo Mariano, Chief Customer Officer at Zift Solutions caught up with MarTechSeries this week to chat about the latest trends in partner and channel marketing, catch the snippets here:

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Welcome to this MarTech Series chat, Cosmo, tell us about yourself and more about your role at Zift Solutions…

Absolutely. It’s great to chat with you. My name is Cosmo Mariano; I’m the Chief Customer Officer here at Zift Solutions. Throughout my career, I’ve accrued more than two decades of experience scaling and transforming technology companies for customer success in mainstream markets. I’m looking forward to bringing a fresh perspective to Zift’s user journey and value delivery thanks to that very background in customer experience strategy.

In my spare time, I love to cook – and eat! I’m currently perfecting my healthy pasta repertoire (basically, throw any veggie into pasta, broth, and cheese.) I’m a big reader, too, and recently read Turn the Ship Around! by David Marquet and Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

How have you been seeing partner marketing trends change in today’s B2B marketplace?

Well, there’s a lot of exciting stuff happening in the partner marketing space right now. Companies are leveraging data like never before. They’re using PRM solutions to really dig into their partners’ performance data. This is incredibly useful because it allows them to understand which partnerships are bringing in the most ROI, where they can improve, and how they can provide better support to their partners.

Personalization is another big thing. Brands are making every interaction count by tailoring their communication and incentives to each partner’s needs. This not only strengthens relationships but also makes partnerships more productive.

Another trend I’ve noticed is the rise of collaborative marketing campaigns. Brands are teaming up with their partners to create co-branded efforts, joint events, and shared content marketing initiatives. It’s a win-win situation because it amplifies the reach and impact of their marketing campaigns.

Brands are also investing heavily in partner training and education. The idea here is to empower partners with the knowledge and tools they need to successfully sell the brand’s products or services. It’s a direct investment into the partnership that often leads to increased sales and profits.

We’re also seeing brands set shared goals and rewards with their partners. It’s a great way to align everyone’s interests and incentivize partners to really get behind the brand’s goals.

Influencer marketing continues to be big, with brands incorporating influencers into their partner marketing strategies. This can help them tap into new audiences and boost brand awareness.

Automation is another key trend. PRM solutions are being used to automate routine processes like partner onboarding, contract management, and reporting. It’s a game-changer because it frees up resources and lets brands focus more on strategy and relationship-building.

Finally, there’s a growing emphasis on adopting a customer-centric approach in partner marketing. Brands are seeking partners who share their customer-first values and can deliver top-notch customer service. PRM solutions come in handy here, as they can track customer satisfaction metrics and feedback. It’s all about creating an excellent customer experience, after all.

Remember, all these trends are evolving. The landscape is always shifting, and the brands that adapt quickly are the ones that thrive.

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Take us through some of the ways in which you’ve been seeing leading brands use partner marketing models and PRM solutions to drive impact and drive their goals?

Optimizing partner marketing models is crucial for enhancing customer experiences and brand journeys. There are several strategies that brands can employ to achieve this. First, it’s essential to clearly define your objectives for the partner marketing program. By setting specific outcomes such as increased partner engagement or increased sales, you can align your efforts accordingly.

Next, selecting the right partners is vital. Look for partners whose values, target audience, and marketing approach align with your brand. They should have a strong influence on your target customers and effectively convey your brand message. Building strong relationships with your partners through regular communication and collaboration is key. Providing them with resources, training, and support helps them represent your brand effectively.

Sharing customer insights and data with your partners is another valuable step. This information enables them to better understand your target audience and tailor their go-to-market efforts accordingly. By providing consistent brand guidelines, you ensure that your partners represent your brand cohesively across all channels.

Collaborating with partners to optimize content and creative assets is important as well. Ensure that the content aligns with your brand’s storytelling and resonates with your partners’ audience. Seamless customer journeys are crucial, so integrate partner channels with your brand’s digital platforms and systems to provide a consistent experience.

To measure performance, establish clear metrics and regularly analyze data. This allows you to identify areas of improvement and optimize your strategies. Lastly, continuously iterate and innovate. Stay updated with market trends, emerging technologies, and customer preferences. Experiment with new approaches and leverage new channels or platforms to enhance the customer experience and drive brand journeys.

How can brands optimize their existing partner marketing models to drive better customer experiences and brand journeys?

That’s a great question. I see brands doing this a few ways:

1) with partner collaboration/alignment,

2) by having access to data-driven insights,

3) through performance monitoring, and, lastly,

4) by having a customer-centric approach to their partner marketing efforts.

As far as collaboration and alignment goes, brands should establish clear communication with their partners from day one. Really make sure that you’re on the same page in terms of deliverables. By ensuring shared goals and having a deep understanding of the brand’s values and customer experience objectives, you’re more likely to see success – and be easier to work with.

Brands can utilize the data they have on-hand to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences. Then, leverage this data to develop personalized and relevant experiences, ensuring their partners align their strategies accordingly. Not to toot our own horn too much, but the reporting within ZiftONE equips channel teams to do just this.

On top of reviewing data to make informed decisions, regularly monitor the performance of partner marketing efforts, track key metrics, and then analyze the impact of these on customer experiences. Optimize campaigns based on data-driven insights to continuously improve results. Can you tell how much data plays a role in driving better customer experience?

Okay, last one for you: always prioritize the needs and preferences of your customers. By putting the customer at the center, companies can ensure a seamless, engaging, and consistent brand journey.

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Take us through some of the top channel or partner marketing trends you expect to see in the near future as well as the tools that will help drive all of it?

 I see four main trends emerging within channel marketing:

1) AI-powered predictive analytics,

2) gamification/rewards,

3) AI-powered content personalization, and

4) Partner business intelligence.

With AI-powered predictive analytics, channel programs will be able to begin incorporating advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms into their platforms to provide predictive insights and recommendations for partners. They’ll start being able to use AI to analyze partner behavior, sales data, and market trends all in the name of helping their clients make data-driven decisions and anticipate future opportunities.

With gamification and rewards, this trend is being seen by the introduction of gamification elements in the effort to drive partner engagement and motivation. Programs will be able to create a points-based system where partners earn rewards for achieving specific milestones, such as completing training modules, generating leads, or closing deals. This can incentivize partners to actively participate, compete, and excel within the platform.

For the third major trend I’m seeing, AI algorithms are being leveraged to personalize content recommendations for partners based on their specific needs, interests, and performance metrics. Programs will be able to provide partners with relevant and targeted content, including marketing materials, sales enablement assets, and training resources. This personalized approach can enhance partner engagement and productivity.

Last on my list is a big one: providing partners with comprehensive business intelligence tools that go beyond basic reporting. This will show up through visual dashboards and interactive analytics capabilities that enable partners to dive deep into their performance data, track ROI, and gain actionable insights. This level of data-driven decision-making empowers partners to optimize their strategies and drive growth.