European marketing leaders have identified marketing with partners as a critical challenge. Most important is doing a better job in ensuring that both sides of a partnership have a clear understanding of the value they bring and the objectives, strategies, and competencies on each side.

Successful partnerships require clear goals and metrics for specific market and client opportunities, yet this can take time and slow down the inevitable rush to market. Further, developing a systematic approach to a partner relationship that works across all necessary departments and geographies can be complex, especially in regions such as Europe that incorporate multiple cultures and languages. Different partners often have different strengths and weaknesses compared to local leaders across the broad region.

This ITSMA Europe briefing explores the most effective approaches to partnering in marketing IT services and solutions in Europe today, with a special emphasis on lessons learned from industry leaders. The briefing covers five key topics:

• Understanding organizational drivers for partnering and building a partner strategy
• Structuring a winning partnership
• Marketing and selling effectively with partners
• Managing the client experience with and through partners
• Measuring and communicating partnership results

The briefing includes practical examples from Microsoft, CapGemini, and Pigott & Associates.