Practical thinking on channel marketing, partner-led growth, go-to-market strategy and Market Development Funds — written from first-hand, vendor-side experience.
The main types of channel partners explained — VARs, MSPs, system integrators, distributors and ISVs — how each makes money, what they sell, and what they need from vendor marketing and MDF.
Read articleA practical guide to partner recruitment and reseller recruitment — defining an ideal partner profile, the channels that find them, the onboarding window, and why most recruited partners never transact.
Read articleHow to design partner tiers that change behaviour — tier criteria, benefits laddering, MDF access by tier, and the common partner tiering mistakes that make gold, silver and bronze programmes stall.
Read articleWhat cloud marketplaces and hyperscaler co-sell mean for channel teams — how AWS, Azure and Google Cloud marketplace listings and co-sell programmes reshape traditional resale, and where MDF fits.
Read articleAn EMEA channel strategy for market entry: using partners to expand across EMEA — localisation, distributor coverage, regulatory differences and how to sequence markets rather than launch everywhere at once.
Read articleWhat is channel marketing? A practical guide for tech vendors — the definition, how it differs from direct marketing, the to-, through- and with-partner motions, who owns what, and where MDF and go-to-market fit.
Read articleTo-partner, through-partner and with-partner marketing explained — a clear taxonomy of the three channel marketing motions, the activities that sit in each, and how to decide when to invest where.
Read articleHow to build an annual partner marketing plan — the planning calendar, how to split budget across the marketing motions, tiering the partner base, and the quarterly business reviews that keep the plan honest.
Read articleThe channel marketing KPIs and partner marketing metrics that matter — partner-sourced vs partner-influenced pipeline, activation rate, MDF utilisation and time-to-first-deal — and the vanity metrics to drop.
Read articleThrough-channel marketing automation (TCMA) explained — what TCMA tools actually do, why content syndication alone fails, the adoption pitfalls, and a readiness checklist for deciding whether TCMA will work for you.
Read articleMDF vs co-op vs rebate vs SPIFFs compared — when each partner incentive fits, how the instruments interact, and the common stacking mistakes that erode margin and blur attribution.
Read articleCo-op accrual vs discretionary MDF: how percentage-of-revenue co-op differs from discretionary MDF in budgeting, fairness and the partner behaviour each drives — and when to run both.
Read articleMDF measurement beyond lead counts: how to attribute MDF-funded activity to pipeline and closed revenue, the attribution mechanics that matter, and what good MDF ROI reporting looks like.
Read articleMDF audit and compliance explained — audit triggers, documentation standards, retention periods and clawbacks — with a practical checklist of what vendors and partners must keep on file.
Read articleUse-it-or-lose-it MDF explained: how fiscal calendars and MDF deadlines create the quarter-end scramble, and how partners can plan activity ahead instead of rushing low-value spend.
Read articleA complete guide to running an MDF programme — allocation models, approval workflows, activity windows, claims and measurement — so your market development funds programme drives real partner pipeline.
Read articleWhy MDF goes unspent: the real causes of low MDF utilisation — complex claims, short windows, partner awareness and proposal friction — and practical fixes for both vendors and partners.
Read articleA practical taxonomy of MDF-eligible activities — digital campaigns, events, enablement, telemarketing and content — plus what typically gets rejected, so you know what MDF can be used for.
Read articleHow to write an MDF proposal that gets approved: objectives, audience, activity plan, expected pipeline and measurement — plus a request template structure and the common rejection reasons to avoid.
Read articleMDF claims and proof of execution explained — the documentation and PoE vendors require, deadlines, and the common claim failures that delay or void reimbursement — without the paperwork pain.
Read articlePartner-led growth explained: what it means, how it differs from a direct sales motion, and how EMEA tech brands use their ecosystem to scale efficiently.
Read articleA practical, step-by-step framework for measuring MDF ROI — including the formula, the data you need, and how to attribute partner pipeline to fund spend.
Read articleMDF vs co-op funds compared across timing, performance basis, flexibility, and best use case — a side-by-side table to help you pick the right channel funding model.
Read articleA clear, vendor-side definition of Market Development Funds (MDF): what they are, how they work, and how to run them so they actually drive partner pipeline.
Read articleHow strategic alliances and partner ecosystems drive go-to-market growth for tech brands — and the operating model that makes ecosystem-led growth work.
Read articleHow AI is reshaping channel and partner marketing for tech brands — from MDF optimisation to pipeline attribution — and where it actually moves the needle.
Read articleBook a free 30-minute discovery call with Mikael Zeitlin to pressure-test your channel, partner-led growth, or MDF strategy.
