Who can benefit from a through-channel marketing automation platform?

In short, brands and their partners both benefit from the implementation of a TCMA platform. It helps bridge the gap between a brand’s corporate marketing efforts and the unique needs of their local partners.

Brands benefit from TCMA because it enables their local partners to create brand compliant marketing materials and effectively manage their co-op dollars. Brands include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and providers of services with a distributed network of partners (dealers, agents, franchisees, operators, sales reps, retailers or whatever the industry label demands). These partners have a significant impact on the brand’s ability to sell products and services in a given local area. Because many brands have hundreds or thousands of local partners across the nation or even the world, it can be challenging to execute cohesive corporate marketing campaigns at scale without a TCMA platform.

Partners benefit from TCMA because it empowers them to easily create brand compliant marketing materials at a subsidized cost. Because local partners are often small-business owners or managers with a lot on their plates, they don’t have a lot of time or resources to devote to marketing. Therefore, brand compliance isn’t a high priority for many partners, especially those that sell competing products and services simultaneously, such as telecommunications dealers. Through-channel marketing automation solves for that by providing simple, scalable and cost-effective marketing solutions. The platform provides marketing templates and resources that match the current corporate campaign and can be customized for increased relevancy within their local market.

Key features of the best through-channel marketing automation platforms

The best TCMA solutions provide a one-stop-shop where partners can easily complete essential channel marketing tasks, such as accessing logos, customizing templates, ordering promotional items and managing co-op funds. Key features of the best through-channel marketing automation platforms include:

• Streamlined workflow

• Customizable governance

• Robust analytics

• Easy for business partners to use

• Shared brand marketing assets

• Controlled local customization

• Efficient portal for distribution of content

Through-channel marketing automation is essential but under used

TCMA allows associated organizations to use many different channels accessible through an all-in-one system. The software also provides vital in-market analytics information, allowing for decreased operational expenditure, which further benefits ROI. Partners also have better communication with brands and marketing resources are transferred and applied more successfully.

Forrester Research posits that TCMA is under used. Only about 50% of all brands currently have a platform. Of those organizations, only 17% believe that they have successfully applied the technology. This statistic suggests a huge opportunity for brands to better educate their partners on the benefits of their TCMA platform and use it to its greatest potential.