Bridge Partners

Is MDF burning a hole in your partners' pockets?🔥🚒 Don't waste a moment in this final stretch of the year. Here are 3 small but impactful actions that can significantly reduce administrative friction for your partners. In 2024, you've still got still time to: 1️⃣ Resurface program guidelines and resources. 2️⃣ Ensure they are easily discoverable online and accessible in various formats, such as videos, recorded webinars, and guided process demos. 3️⃣ Host open office hours to address any questions your partners may have. "Remember, effective utilization of MDF requires a combination of clear partner communication, valuable marketing activities aligned with your partners’ marketing priorities and investments, and comprehensive execution support," references Kyrsa Dixon, Senior Director in Partner Ecosystems. "Taking these steps now can set the stage for a stronger finish to the year." 🎰 Want more? DM us to receive five strategies to accelerate partner MDF use in H2.

By knowing your customers’ preferences and paths, you can deepen trust and increase retention. Reaching the right customer at the right time is a foundational tenet of marketing. Equipped with hard data, propensity insights, and operational agility, it’s now possible to not just reach customers at any stage in their journey—meeting them where they are now—but anticipate where they may go next. This anticipation cues a chain reaction that ultimately leads to revenue. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of customer service and support organizations will be applying generative AI technology to improve agent productivity and customer experience. And customer retention has an outsized impact on profitability, with a 5% boost in retention causing the bottom line to swell anywhere between 25% and 95%, according to HubSpot. Check the comments for more tips on orchestrating a customer journey that drives results.

One key takeaway from the Partnership Leaders Catalyst event last week is the continued need to drive clarity in your Partner Strategy – as a Partner leader, CEO, or Board member. For many businesses, partners often account for 30-70% of total revenue. As companies increasingly rely on partnerships, it's crucial that your partner strategy drives both growth and profitability. Here are 5 key questions to ask to rethink your partner strategy: 1.     What role do partners play in your customer strategy? It sounds fundamental and it is. Understanding how partners enhance your customer value proposition can inform long-term value metrics like retention, engagement, and expansion. 2.     How much revenue is driven by partners, and how does this align with strategic growth goals? There are many ways to focus this lever for growth: across segments, industries, or cross-sell / up-sell services & solutions in your installed base. Where are you focusing your partners? 3.     Are partner-driven sales contributing positively to profit margins and cash flow? Get smart on the “business of partners” to define how partner activities improve broader profitability goals and ensure generating revenue through partners versus direct sales creates cost efficiency. 4.     How engaged and effective is your partner ecosystem? Always take a customer lens to evaluate the quality and fit of partnerships in supporting your customer experience. The Pareto principle rings true. 5.     Do you have the right partners? This question might lead you right back to question #1! What would you add to the list? ⬇ Bridge Partners | Tania Fernández de Castro (She/Ella) | RJ Hilgers | Kyrsa Dixon | Penny Byron | Jen McCready | John Tribble | Rob Toledo | Lincoln Barr | Todd Vold | Marisa Lather | #partnerstrategy #growthstrategy #partnergrowth

It’s essential to recognize that the customer journey is no longer a straightforward path—it’s a complex, ever-changing landscape that requires agility, data-driven insights, and a deep understanding of customer needs. Tim Gunderson, Principal in Digital Marketing, explains how these principles are critical for any business leader aiming to drive sustainable growth. By ensuring that every part of your organization is aligned around a unified understanding of the customer, you can create a more cohesive, responsive, and ultimately successful business. Read about the three pivots to consider for 2025: https://lnkd.in/g-bqbCd4 #customerjourney #b2b #marketing #sales

Our team is in the Windy City for Partnership Leaders Catalyst event this week! We're thrilled to have Rebecca Jones, RJ Hilgers, and Tania Fernández de Castro (She/Ella) on-site, ready to share their insights and expertise. Join us as they dive into: ► Applying a customer-centric approach to your partner strategy ► Reimagining Partner GTM with AI (yes, we have in-market use cases!) ► Reshaping your business model to include marketplace and channel, alongside direct sales and marketing. Don't miss out on these transformative topics that can elevate your partner strategy to the next level. If you're attending, make sure to connect with Rebecca, RJ, and Tania – they'd love to chat! #Catalyst #partnerecosystems #growth

Take partner messaging further with personalization. 🚀 "Foundational messaging frameworks are important, but the real magic happens when resources are strategically invested to personalize and refine joint messages for selected partnerships," explains Penny Byron, Principal, Partner Ecosystems. "Depending on the type of partner, such as a consultant or an ISV, this personalized approach can make a significant impact." AI further enhances this process, helping to unlock the enormous value within your partner ecosystem. Learn more about building a joint value proposition: https://lnkd.in/gT6uWm7E

Ready to maximize the value of your partnerships? Join us for the upcoming Baptie & Company webinar, "Co-Selling: What Does It Mean and How Do You Implement It?," where Jen McCready, Principal of Partner Ecosystems, explains the ins and outs of co-selling alongside industry experts Cassandra Gholston of PartnerTap, Jules Johnston, and Akash Singh of Mindmatrix. Together, these thought leaders will share actionable strategies to: ✅ Empower partner sales teams ✅ Develop co-sales strategies ✅ Seamlessly collaborate on sales opportunities ✅ Leverage collective insights for competitive advantage By combining strengths and resources, co-selling offers maximized market reach, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your sales approach and drive measurable results. 📅 August 29th at 10 AM PST 🔗 Register Here: https://lnkd.in/gRsZ3agR Follow Bridge Partners and our team of channel experts for more tips on maximizing the value of multi-partner go-to-market strategies: Kyrsa Dixon | Penny Byron | Tania Fernández de Castro (She/Ella) | John Tribble | Lincoln Barr | Todd Vold #CoSelling #SalesGrowth #PartnerEcosystem

The best product marketers are always seeking innovative ways to enhance customer-centricity. In our latest blog post, Amy Duchêne, career-long journalist, author, and Principal of our Content practice at Bridge Partners, highlights different journalism techniques our team uses to unlock breakthrough approaches in product marketing. In this insightful piece, Amy and Matt Hansink, Solutions Director, uncover how storytelling, investigative techniques, and journalistic integrity can transform your product marketing efforts. Learn how to connect more authentically with your audience and drive deeper engagement. Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/gwrJ_uCr Discover the secrets that can help you craft compelling narratives and uncover the true stories behind your products. #ProductMarketing #Journalism #MarketingStrategy

2025 is shaping up to be the year of sustainability in marketing. From 8% to 18% in just a year—sustainability is becoming a key focus for senior marketers, and growing. Notably, 64% of marketers expect social impact and environmental sustainability to only become more important, as reported by EMARKETER. Looking ahead, make sure sustainability is on your radar for 2025 planning. It's possible to be both innovative and sustainable, and your customers, partners, and employees care. Our Sustainability team is already working with the world's biggest tech and cloud companies to tackle their sustainability goals and tell their story. We know what works, and what will work for you. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gkgCGq48 #Sustainability #GTM #ESG #Strategy #SocialImpact

Are you leaving money on the table? Inside the latest episode of #ExpertExchange, I had an insightful chat with Marisa Lather, Director of Marketing Communications at Bridge Partners. Marisa's wisdom is a goldmine for anyone looking to supercharge their marketing and communication skills. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll learn: 🎯 Aligning Sales and Marketing: Strategies to ensure both teams work together seamlessly. 🗺️ Customer Journey Mapping: Understanding the importance of mapping the customer journey. 📊 Data-Driven Marketing: Leveraging data for more effective marketing strategies. 🌟 Building a Personal Brand: The power and impact of a strong personal brand. 📈 Demonstrating Value: How communicators and marketers can prove their worth and drive company growth. 💡 "The foundation of marketing is reaching the right person at the right time on the right channel with the right message. If you can do that, you will affect change." - Marisa Lather #Meltwater #ExpertExchange #Marketing #Communications #DataDriven #SalesMarketingAlignment #PersonalBranding