New research from Coterie and the University of Huddersfield highlights the need for partners to boost their digital marketing skills after the ongoing pandemic exposed a shortage of expertise.
Titled Ecosystem 2.0, the report found that ever since the channel market has had to abandon face-to-face interactions due to Covid-19, channel partners are witnessing the birth of the skills gap 2.0.
“It’s clear from this report that the skills gap, which was already a huge challenge to our industry prior to Covid-19, has only widened over the past 18 months,” said Coterie’s managing director, Helen Curtis (pictured). “With this in mind, Coterie is already proactively looking at how we can help tomorrow’s marketers have the skills they need to overcome the challenges they’re currently facing.”
Based on 23 interviews with high-profile organisations, the report found the transition to remote work meant that developing personal relationships with customers now must be cultivated virtually, something many partners lack the knowledge to do effectively, it says.
Getting hold of an individual with digital marketing skills – including messaging, branding, research skills and community building – is vital for success in the channel today, the report highlights.
However, finding partner marketing professionals with those attributes has become challenging, the report notes. As a result, this could lead to many partners disengaging with their vendors or forming stronger relationships with alternative vendors who display strong marketing knowledge.
Many of the respondents in the report cited the lack of skill and innovation in digital marketing has gotten worse due to the rising “digital fatigue and marketing noise”.
“The pandemic has undoubtedly acted as a challenge and ultimately forced many companies across the industry spectrum to stop and reconsider, and the findings derived from our research suggest that partner marketing is not exempt from the changes wrought by this historic period,” said Huddersfield Business School professor Shona Bettany.
