Spryker VP Global Partner Marketing, Charla Session-Reedon Partner Marketing

For both solution partners and technology partners, one of the most valuable benefits we provide is access to a dedicated Partner Marketing Manager who manages a portfolio that includes both partner types. This ensures a holistic view of the ecosystem and enables more strategic alignment. These Partner Marketing Managers work closely with each partner to co-develop annual marketing plans, support campaign execution, and ensure alignment with our broader go-to-market strategy. What truly sets our approach apart is that we don’t operate in silos, especially when it comes to partner marketing. Instead of treating solution and technology partners as separate motions, we actively build integrated, three-way marketing opportunities. By bringing our brand together with a technology partner and a solution partner, we’re able to tell richer, more complete stories that better reflect how customers buy and adopt technology today. These triangulated campaigns showcase real-world outcomes, highlight the strength of our ecosystem, and ultimately build greater trust with buyers across the entire journey. This collaborative model not only boosts visibility for our partners but also drives stronger demand generation and more meaningful joint pipeline growth for everyone involved.

We’ve been fortunate to have a steady pipeline of potential partners reaching out to us. That said, we don’t rely solely on inbound interest. We take a proactive approach by ensuring our thought leadership, partner success stories, and Better Together narratives are highly visible through a mix of digital content, targeted campaigns, and participation in key industry events. These efforts not only showcase the value of partnering with us but also help spark new conversations with organizations that may not yet be in our partner program. Our goal is to make the benefits of partnering with us clear, so that when the right partner sees our content or hears us speak at an event, they see a place for themselves in our ecosystem.

We’ve found that the most successful partner marketing tactics for generating leads are multi-touch, fully integrated campaigns that align both organizations around a clear and compelling joint value proposition. These campaigns go beyond one-off tactics and instead combine several coordinated elements such as thought leadership content, co-hosted webinars, nurture email sequences, and, in some cases, targeted digital advertising. The key is that all of these assets are co-branded, co-promoted, and built around shared messaging, which amplifies reach and credibility across both audiences. Equally important is investing in partner enablement to ensure both sides are equipped to carry the message forward. We’ve seen real impact from hosting internal lunch and learns, developing joint battle cards, and creating messaging frameworks that help sales and marketing teams clearly articulate the "why us" behind the partnership. This level of internal alignment not only builds confidence across go-to-market teams but also results in more meaningful engagement with prospects and ultimately, higher-quality leads and stronger conversion rates.

We define the success of our partner co-marketing strategy through a combination of quantitative performance metrics and qualitative signals of engagement. It all begins with partner alignment. When we see partners who are genuinely engaged, invested in the relationship, and eager to collaborate, that’s the foundation for any successful marketing effort. From there, we let the data tell the story. We track key performance indicators such as marketing-qualified leads (MQLs), influenced and sourced pipeline, deal velocity, and closed-won revenue. These metrics help us understand the impact of our campaigns not just at the top of the funnel, but all the way through to revenue. However, we also place a high value on qualitative feedback. When go-to-market teams on both sides are actively requesting more campaigns, or when partners are proactively suggesting new marketing initiatives, co-hosted events, or content opportunities, it’s a clear sign that the partnership is delivering real value. This level of enthusiasm and momentum is often the best indicator that our strategy is working.

Some of our most effective co-marketing campaigns have centered around a strong “hero” asset, such as a co-branded research report, trend analysis, or content syndication piece that highlights emerging industry insights. These assets provide a high-value, conversation starting foundation and are often used as the centerpiece for a broader multi-channel campaign. We typically follow up with a joint webinar to bring the findings to life, featuring subject matter experts from both organizations. This not only extends the shelf life of the content but also creates a more dynamic and engaging experience for the audience. In terms of in-person engagement, we’ve seen strong success with smaller, curated VIP dinners. These events allow us to handpick the right audience, drive focused discussions around shared customer challenges, and foster deeper relationships in an intimate setting. They’ve proven especially effective to refine messaging, gather feedback in real time, and deliver a tailored experience to the most relevant stakeholders.

Partner marketing is embedded across the full funnel. We work closely with partner managers, sales, product marketing, and revenue marketing to build GTM strategies that align with shared goals. We track metrics from MQLs to influenced opportunities to closed-won deals. We don’t stop at top-of-funnel. That full-funnel accountability helps us align more closely with sales and proves the tangible impact of our partner efforts. Internally, we act as both a strategic advisor and execution partner to ensure every campaign is rooted in partner value and revenue outcomes.

Yes, absolutely. Crafting a thoughtful user journey is essential for any successful co-marketing campaign. We start by aligning on the CTA and the end goal for the campaign, whether its webinar attendance, or lead capture, and work backward to map the journey. This includes coordinated email nurtures, landing pages optimized for conversion, follow-up touchpoints, and retargeting. Success comes when both partners commit to an experience that feels unified and seamless, not like two brands promoting in parallel.