Partner Blog | Plan today, grow tomorrow: Turn partner investments into sustained demand
The landscape of the customer journey is evolving, offering partners more chances to sway technology choices at various stages. However, to truly capitalise on these opportunities, it takes more than sporadic campaigns or one-off investments.
Recent research by Omdia highlights 28 essential presales touchpoints, as well as numerous opportunities for customer success following a sale. Surprisingly, 62% of partners surveyed allocate only 10% or less of their marketing budgets towards generating demand.
As we look ahead to FY27, we see three interconnected areas for growth: developing the expertise that customers increasingly expect, committing to ongoing demand generation based on the challenges they face, and leveraging those skills for opportunities like Microsoft Copilot and Frontier Transformation.
With AI becoming integral to more business decisions and processes, customers are seeking partners who can link technology to specific industries, workflows, and challenges.
This shift turns skilling into a crucial business investment. Marketing teams must possess the technical know-how and industry insight to articulate value effectively. Meanwhile, sales and presales staff need to align customer needs with suitable solutions. Technical teams should have the expertise to design and implement these solutions, while customer success teams must drive adoption and spot chances to add further value.
Begin by identifying the customer opportunities you want to explore, then determine the areas where your teams require more depth. The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub offers tailored learning aimed at partners, covering Microsoft Cloud solution areas, roles, and technical certifications.
For partners that qualify for co-op, eligible AI adoption activities may also present a way to enhance your organisational AI capabilities. By integrating AI and agents into your internal workflows, your teams can gain practical experience that boosts customer interactions. Be sure to consult the current Microsoft Commercial Partner Incentives Guide to check eligibility and requirements.
Expertise becomes even more valuable when customers can easily discover it throughout their buying journey.
According to Omdia’s research, buyers draw information from a variety of sources, including AI tools, search engines, social media, events, peer networks, partners, review sites, and digital marketplaces. A single webinar, email, or paid advertisement is rarely sufficient to cover the entire journey. Therefore, relying on isolated tactics is less effective than creating a cohesive program that builds relevance and trust over time.
FAQs
How can partners enhance their demand generation efforts?
To improve demand generation, partners should focus on continuous learning about market trends and customer challenges. Investing in a mix of campaigns that build credibility and relevance can also be effective.
What resources are available for partners looking to improve their technical skills?
The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub is an excellent place to start, as it provides comprehensive training and certification opportunities tailored for partners.
What role does AI play in enhancing customer engagement?
AI can help tailor solutions to meet specific customer needs, enabling teams to engage more effectively. Integrating AI into your workflows allows for practical applications that can enhance team expertise and foster better customer conversations.
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