To best support partners with MDF in today’s channel ecosystem, requires a paradigm shift in the way vendors offer MDF. Typically, MDF is distributed to partners for a range of market development activities including sales leads, training, enablement and events. However, these dollars are under increasing scrutiny as CFOs ask the question: “What is our ROI (return on investment)?” Yet this financial only focus may overlook a key rationale for Market Development Funds – the opportunity to build loyalty, create brand awareness and support partner sales.
A well-executed Market Development Fund program, with accurate reporting and measurement capabilities built in, will enable partners to create brand awareness and drive market demand for your offering. The vendors who are winning partner mindshare are able to determine the right activities to offer at the right time, across partner types and market segments. Above all, vendors must be in a position to react quickly to changing market demands. Supporting partners with the right mix of MDF activities to create the vendors desired outcomes, is continuously evolving.
Date: Tuesday, May 3rd 2022
Time: 8am PST/11am ET/ 4pm BST
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Hear from leading channel marketers on how they are maximizing the return on investment from their MDF programs. Join Channel Mechanics Business Development Director John Bird and guest panellists Ryan Griffis, Manager Global Channel Programs at Extreme Networks, Mimish Lesperance, Director Field Channel Marketing Americas at Barracuda and Kenneth Fox, CEO at Channel Mechanics as they discuss the future of MDF.
The panel will be discussing the following points:
- Firstly, Setting MDF Budgets and Partner Allocation
- Secondly, Determining the Right MDF Activities to offer Today’s Channel Ecosystem
- Measuring MDF Program ROI
- Managing Regional & Partner Variations for MDF
- Ensuring MDF Program Alignment to Business Goals
- Key Takeaways
- Finally, Audience Q&A
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Panel Speakers | Building an MDF Program for Today’s Channel Ecosystem
Ryan Griffis, Global Channel Programs Manager at Extreme Networks
Ryan is an accomplished tech channel professional with 15 years’ experience built through diverse Marketing and Operations roles. Having started his career agency-side, he assisted many of the world’s top 50 tech companies to achieve channel operational excellence. Subsequently he transitioned to the vendor-side with Extreme Networks. Ryan is currently Global Channel Programs Manager at Extreme and leads the Extreme Market Development Funds program, a major component of the CRN multi-5 star rated Extreme Networks Partner Program. Ryan has a firm belief in continuous improvement. In his time at Extreme, he has overseen extensive internal and external education, simplification and automation to improve planning and efficiency as well as partner experience.
Mimish Lesperance, Director Field Channel Marketing Americas at Barracuda
Mimish is a passionate Channel advocate and Marketeer with versatile knowledge on Channel marketing strategy development. In addition to the management of complex global partner programs and initiatives. Having started her career in Cisco Systems, she spent 20 years in multitudes of Channel Sales and Marketing roles. After a 20-year tenure, she joined Poly where she focused on driving and execution of global strategic channel projects. Mimish joined Barracuda in December 2019, bringing more than 25 years of Channel Experience to her role as Snr. Director of Channel Marketing. Here she is passionate about developing marketing strategy in alignment with Channel Sales to drive high performing channel marketing activities. She is an advocate for programs including MDF, partner enablement and campaigns that drive demand for Barracuda’s Channel partners.
Kenneth Fox, CEO at Channel Mechanics
Kenneth is CEO of Channel Mechanics. During his time here, he has built the company from a startup to a globally recognized leader of channel program automation software. Software that is now utilized by some of the world’s largest vendors to automate the delivery of their partner programs. Certainly, with a career spanning over 20 years in the ICT sector, Kenneth is an industry leader with extensive channel, technology and sales experience. Previously, he has held senior leadership positions at Nortel, Avaya, APC and IBM.
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