10 01732 759725 MARKETING While martec and digital marketing topped the list, also ranking highest amongst the skills partner marketers need today, AI and automation have surged, rising from 15% to 27% to become the second most important future skill. Close behind are data and analytics capabilities, which have also more than doubled in importance, from 12% to 27%. Helen Curtis, Co-founder of Coterie, points out that these findings highlight the growing importance of AI and data to channel marketing. “Senior executives place a lot of value on data and the certainty that data provides. By using AI, data and analytics, channel marketers can better demonstrate ROI, something that could finally secure the budget increases that partner marketing has long needed,” she said. However, the research also shows that partner marketers feel unprepared for the shift towards AI, with respondents ranking it as the top area where they need training to succeed by 2030. Strategic thinking followed closely behind, with data and analytics skills also emerging as key development priorities. Traditional communications and negotiation skills have dropped down the list of perceived importance, with adaptability rising sharply, from one of the lowest ranked skills today to being among the six most critical skills required for success over the next five years. https://coteriecommunity.global/ creative. And because teams often share martech systems, there’s a belief that combining roles will create efficiency. But what’s being lost are the specialist skills that actually make partner marketing work.” Harming relationships Attendees at the Connect event echoed Dunkley’s concern, agreeing that CMOs and senior executives must act to protect partner marketing skills, recognising their value to long-term channel performance. Barnaby Wood, Director of Product Management at Arctera, said: “The watering-down of focus on dedicated partner marketing we’re seeing in many organisations means that those who do retain the skills are forced to widen their remit, driving the need for adaptability. “The corollary, of course, is that some of the key skills of partner marketers, crucial in building strong relationships and distinct from field marketing skills, become less highly valued. Ultimately, the loser in all of this are the relationships within our ecosystems.” In-demand skills The research, conducted in partnership with Sapio Research and augmented by quantitative interviews, also addresses marketing budgets, spending patterns, strategic priorities and the skills partner marketers believe they’ll need to succeed in the next five years. Valuable partner marketing skills are at risk of being lost or diluted as the structure of marketing teams across the channel fundamentally shifts. According to a new research report from ecosystem enabler Coterie, partner and field marketing teams are increasingly being merged, with only 15% of partner marketers now working in fully independent teams. The report warns that this integration is not only diluting the specialist skills required to run effective partner marketing programmes but also making those in blended teams less confident in their ability to perform their role. Launched at a recent Coterie Connect event in London to an audience of around 50 partner marketers, The 2025 Partner Marketing Skills Report: Trends, Gaps and Opportunities highlights that without urgent investment in training and development, the channel risks losing the expertise it needs to drive future growth. Jo Dunkley, Co-founder of Coterie, describes the research as a wake-up call. She said: “We’re seeing partner marketers in integrated teams feeling less confident in their ability to succeed, and that should raise alarm bells. At the heart of this shift is a mix of budget pressure and misunderstanding. Many C-level executives assume that partner marketing can just piggyback on field marketing efforts, using the same content, campaigns and New skills report a wake-up call for the industry warns partner marketer champion Is loss of partner marketing skills hampering channel growth? Partner marketing champion Coterie Connect, formerly known as the Coterie Community, is a pioneering community and platform dedicated to elevating the field of partner marketing through virtual discussions, in‑person meetups and shared industry insights. Founded by industry veterans Helen Curtis and Jo Dunkley to champion the cause of partner, ecosystem and channel marketers, the initiative has grown from its inception in 2022, in partnership with the University of Huddersfield, to become a vital hub for over 100 industry professionals. Following the conclusion of its funding from Innovate UK in February 2024, the community has transitioned to a free membership model based on contributions. Coterie Connect members receive automatic invites to the group’s First Friday Webinar series where industry experts share insights and strategies on how to thrive in today’s business ecosystem, addressing a different facet of ecosystem partnerships each month. https://coteriecommunity.global/join-us/ Helen Curtis Jo Dunkley
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