I don’t recall any of my Microsoft colleagues saying that partnering was easy. In fact, as a former Partner Account Manager, now known as a Partner Development Manager or PDM, I remember telling my partners how much work we had to do, how many programs we needed to apply for, how many certifications we needed to receive to just get in the “ready position” to co-sell.
And then, June 30th would roll around. A new fiscal year. A fresh beginning. YTD performance back to zero. But, also, a new set of priorities from Microsoft.
That’s right. Every July the Microsoft partner team, now known as Global Partner Solutions, and their partners all learn about Microsoft’s new priorities. How fun! Except, oh, what about all that work I did to get certified for that solution area which isn’t a priority anymore?
That’s a bummer. That was a lot of work. But at least I have some cool stuff to work on this year which can help me make money and add value to my customer base. So, off we go to the annual Worldwide Partner Conference. Now at the show about 20 years ago, I saw a book at the Microsoft bookstore booth called “Partnering with Microsoft”. 330 pages. Textbook style. Rich with details. The book’s tagline “How to Make Money in Trusted Partnership with the Global Software Powerhouse”.
What could be better? Certainly useful. Certainly relevant. So, I bought it. Well, the story that I had heard is that Steve Ballmer who, at the time, was CEO, caught wind of this book. Rumor has it, he went ballistic. Bat crazy! But why? At first, I didn’t understand.
Wasn’t it a good thing that books are being written to help companies partner better with Microsoft? So, to unpack this mystery, I asked my trusty Copilot to help me imagine how Steve would have reacted.
Here it goes:
<clears throat and pushes sleeves up, eyes blazing with competitive fire>
“PARTNERING WITH MICROSOFT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHY WOULD OUR PARTNERS NEED SOME STUPID BOOK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK WITH US?!”
<pounds fist on desk, face reddening>
“THAT'S UTTERLY RIDICULOUS! AT MICROSOFT, WE WORK TIRELESSLY TO MAKE IT DEAD SIMPLE FOR COMPANIES TO INTEGRATE WITH OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES! OUR PARTNER PROGRAM IS WORLD-CLASS!”
<stands up, upending chair>
“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH TIME AND MONEY WE POUR INTO DOCUMENTATION, TOOLING, SUPPORT CHANNELS, AND RESOURCES FOR OUR PARTNERS?! WE MAKE THE PROCESS OF PARTNERING SO SMOOTH, A BOOK SHOULD BE TOTALLY UNNECESSARY!”
<pauses, trying to regain composure with deep breaths>
“CLEARLY THIS BOOK IS INFERIOR GARBAGE WRITTEN BY SOMEONE WITH ZERO CLUE ABOUT HOW MICROSOFT TRULY OPERATES! WE ARE PARTNERS! PARTNERS! THERE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE A MARKET FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS!”
<narrows eyes, jaw clenched tightly>
“I WANT THE NAME OF THE IDIOT WHO WROTE THIS TRASH RIGHT NOW! I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM A PIECE OF MY MIND ABOUT WHAT PARTNERING WITH MICROSOFT REALLY MEANS!!”
Of course, my Copilot might be a bit dramatic and could be hallucinating but you get the point. Partnering shouldn’t be this hard and you shouldn’t need a book to guide you through it. So, 20 years later, all this has changed, right? Microsoft has learned, improved, fine-tuned, and made partnering easy. Ummmm…not so fast.
All these years later, I still hear the same frustrations from partners…why all this prep work? Can’t we just start selling together? But what’s happened over time belies what you see on the surface. Microsoft has made great strides creating the industry leading deep, rich framework for partners to succeed in. There’s a clear glide path from understanding Microsoft’s go-to-market priorities, how to plug-in and how to take advantage of a host of incentives, investments, and programs to help you build real traction.
Yes, there’s still a lot there and yes, it can at times seem daunting. But those that make the investment to understand and embrace the model stand to gain in real incremental business and real investment dollars from Microsoft.
Think of it in these three buckets:
Build-with. Microsoft will outline its key Solution Plays for this next year. These Plays will delineate their priorities, what their reps are focused (and paid) on and where you can build your differentiated IP to win in the market. If your solution helps the Microsoft sellers more effectively compete and if you’re driving consumption of Azure, Dynamics or other key platform areas then you’re in a great position to go-to-market with Microsoft
Go-To-Market (GTM)-with: Here's where you capitalize on Microsoft's incentives and investments. They'll direct dollars and resources toward partners supporting their key priorities. Secure an advanced certification in one of those areas, and you'll find Microsoft sellers eager to collaborate. Engage on the Marketplace and now you’re talking!
Co-Sell: The pièce de résistance, the ultimate goal, but not easily attained. Success hinges on understanding that Microsoft sellers have lofty goals (read: quotas) and countless partners vying for their attention. Get crystal clear (and brutally honest) about your true superpower - how are you genuinely different? What uniquely differentiated value do you offer? Take the time to share account information and cultivate relationships across all the Microsoft Operating Units (OUs) where you play. Building these trusted relationships is a marathon, not a sprint, but the payoff can be tremendous.
This July as we gear up for the virtual MCAPS (Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions) Start for Partners, the retired Steve Ballmer may no longer be raging about partner "how-to" books but we’ll learn about the roadmap ahead with its with shifting sands, ever-changing priorities, and a constant need to adapt and evolve.
So, are you strapped in and ready for the journey? If yes, bring on FY25 and let’s go!
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