As challenging as 2020 was for Dynamics partners and ISVs, it has helped set the stage for big marketing opportunities in 2021.
MSDW Co-Founders Adam Berezin and Jason Gumpert recently chatted with Microsoft MVP partner Rick McCutcheon on an episode of his PartnerTalk video series about the state of the Microsoft Dynamics channel in 2020. They also discussed four ways businesses in the Microsoft channel can turn the marketing challenges of 2020 into opportunities for 2021:
- VARs and ISVs are finding new ways to partner with their customers to get more out of their Dynamics tools – combining knowledge of Dynamics with knowledge of particular industries.
- Smart Dynamics partners are figuring out ways to diversify their marketing strategies in this ecosystem so as to become less dependent on single marketing outlets like in-person conferences or sales meetings.
- Place more emphasis on visual and audio content like videos, webcasts, and podcasts to meet the consumption preferences a broader audience. This isn’t to say that written content like white papers has lost relevance, but rather that they are most effectively offered as serious product research tools.
- Greater focus on market niches. Partners and ISVs are discovering that a narrower market focus can be more productive than the more traditional broad-based focus.
We also sketched out a scenario for using these approaches to assert thought leadership. We’ve seen first-hand that ISVs and partners are becoming ever more adept at communicating unique market benefits within their segments. And we look forward to watching marketers continue to evolve in the new year!
