Delighted to share insights on cloud marketplace strategies from David Gifford, one of the š” most active members in our Cloud GTM course.
David is Global Sales Operations at BMC Software and has an impressive background with significant partnerships and sales experience from his time at Microsoft.
š Cloud Marketplaces Journey
My journey as an early adopter of the cloud began in 2009, and by 2011 I was 100% focused on it, recognizing the transformative impact that the cloud brings to customers.
When I took on the role of AWS Alliance Manager at BMC, one of AWS's top requests was our active involvement in their marketplace.
For me, participating in marketplaces was not a question of "if," but "when." In the past 10 months, we achieved this goal by launching with Google in December 2022, followed by AWS in August 2023.
š Aligning Partnership Strategies with Cloud Marketplaces
Cloud Marketplaces are a pivotal strategy for us and are set as a top-level initiative at the executive level to drive our top-line growth.
Marketplaces offer our customers a modern purchasing experience and leverage their cloud commitments.
They can dramatically streamline and enhance the sales process, especially with the economic decision-maker who now has increased purchasing power.
Customers are making substantial commitments to top cloud providers and prioritize leveraging that budget first.
Finally, BMC is a very partner-centric organization. Participating in marketplaces changes our joint selling positions with the cloud field sales teams. This opens the door for unprecedented partner scaling, given we optimize Marketplaces correctly.
š Marketplace Insights
When considering entry into new marketplaces or assessing them for the first time, itās essential to secure an executive sponsor. This person should have a deep understanding of the potential impact and the ability to persuasively explain the value proposition to the leadership team.
It's also crucial to evaluate the expected impact, using third-party studies, and validate your assumptions with a conservative approach.
Marketplaces introduce a new way to transact, requiring a deep understanding of their impact on such domains as Legal, Tax, Finance, Quote to Cash, and the sales model. This may lead departmental teams to try to anticipate every potential transaction scenario, extending the onboarding timeline.
Realize that it's unlikely to address every concern within each department during the initial review. As a solution, start with a more focused approach, narrowing the scope to specific products, regions, and marketplaces. Pinpoint existing opportunities or customers that can be quantified to demonstrate the impact, helping your sponsor avoid bureaucratic obstacles at the beginning.
Once you achieve success, expanding your presence within the marketplace becomes much easier.
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š Accelerate your Growth in Cloud Marketplaces
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