Kerrie-Anne Turner (VMware)
As the channel grapples with the ongoing challenges associated with acquiring net new customers, VMware is helping partners sharpen marketing swords.
Under the banner of Partner Edge, the marketing platform is softly rolling out across Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), providing a pick and mix type service to the vendor’s ecosystem of partners.
Delivered online, Partner Edge aims to showcase a wide-range of marketing services through an easy to consume platform, with availability on both sides of the Tasman.
Targeting both resource rich and poor partners, the “umbrella offering” spans content programs, integrated campaigns and lead generation, leveraging market development funds (MDF) and co-investment plans.
“Partner Edge is filled with every asset that the channel might need around the VMware go-to-market strategy,” said Kerrie-Anne Turner, head of channels and general business A/NZ at VMware.
“We’ve soft launched with a small group of partners to help test the platform locally. We’re in the process of ensuring that assets are lined up, systems are functioning and feedback capabilities are available.”
Specifically, Partner Edge is designed to offer partners “best-in-class” marketing packages, backed up by analytics and lead management toolsets.
The benefits to partners, according to Turner, is the ability to remain relevant with regular access to updated content, while attracting a deeper quality of end-user leads - cited as a leading priority for the channel.
“We’re training our partners the same way that our own marketers are being trained in the future of digital marketing,” Turner added.
“We have also embedded in the platform all of our digital marketing one-on-one courses that our own internal marketers have to go through. They are available for partners to access via the platform.”
To drive local growth, the vendor is also tapping into the expertise of Olga Specjalska, marketing director across A/NZ at VMware.
Specjalska was previously enterprise marketing director in Japan, following almost four years with VMware across Southeast Asia.
“Olga has brought some incredible innovation to the VMware team locally,” Turner added. “It’s great for the channel that our marketing director is leaning in to help business and marketing leaders of our partner organisations understand how VMware can help.
“Partner Edge also comes with a concierge platform which provides lead demand and follow-ups for partners, which is paid for through co-investment dollars.”
On the flip side however, Turner acknowledged that the majority of partners have little to zero marketing resources internally, with the platform tailored to accomodate different levels of maturity.
“The platform is designed for partners with zero marketing resources,” Turner added. “Upon entering the platform, we ask whether you have 0-5 resources or 5-10 resources and we provide a different way to navigate the system depending on your answer.
“We’re also helping partners with the how to aspect. For example, do partners want to run a campaign around X, Y or Z? Whatever the request, everything will be lined up for the channel to leverage depending on individual needs.”
