GTM in MEA series: Scaling with Channel Partners, Part 1 - Why Some Vendors Keep Hitting a Wall

This is the second article in my “GTM in MEA” series. If you missed Article #1, be sure to check it out here. Now, let’s dive into the topic for this article.

Whether you’re a big or small vendor, you simply don’t have the resources, people, or knowledge to cover all markets across different segments. There are many cultural, legal, and sales dynamics that influence this, but that’s a topic for another day. What I want to cover here is why many tech vendors are still struggling to build a robust, channel-led scale system, especially in MEA.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. You’re Forcing a Channel Program That Doesn’t Fit the Region

The truth is, what works in the US doesn’t necessarily work in APAC, and there’s a good chance it won’t fully work in MEA either. Yes, creating a non-standardized channel program is difficult for any vendor, and it can lead to operational issues, but your regional channel team can take what works best here and downsize or adjust the parts that don’t. For example, focus more on SPIFFs that incentivize partners to bring your tech to more accounts, and be proactive about driving this with the right partners.

Your program should also be designed to reward the partner’s efforts fairly as any unjustified limitations can be demotivating. This means having a clear methodology to identify, monitor, and document partner efforts so they can be rewarded accordingly. Of course, this requires transparency between the vendor and the partner, and this won’t happen without building strong trust. It takes time, but there’s no way around it.

Additionally, some aspects of channel programs are often left vague or undefined, which can lead to issues down the road between both the partner and the vendor. Take renewals, for example, or the on-ground support system partners can create and manage for remote vendors. How do you encourage partners to invest time and effort in these areas to prevent your business from churning in a few years? How do you reward them? Having a program that looks beyond the immediate first sale, toward future sales interactions, is essential for channel partners. This helps them predict future revenue streams and clearly understand what is expected from them by the vendor.

2. Your Strategy Isn’t Aligned with Your Partner’s Strategy

You’re a business, and so are your partners - they have their own growth strategy too.

•  Some focus on financial gains with short sales cycles and acceptable margins, while others are after long-term deals with higher margins.

• Some partners specialize in one domain (AI, for example), while others are more general, covering multiple technologies.

• Some are deeply rooted in specific geographies like Turkey or Qatar, while others have a broader presence but less niche focus.

As a vendor, if you’re struggling to win new logos that you’ve identified, and you know exactly where they reside, then a niche geo-focused partner might be your best bet for the next 1-2 years. But if you’re looking to engage in complex, high-profit deals with top enterprises in the region, then big integrators who can afford the time and effort to develop those deals are your go-to.

Identifying and understanding your partner's capabilities isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible. A good channel organization can build a partner skills heat map, align it with the vendor’s strategy, and take it from there. I’ve seen small partners with fewer than 10 people, but laser-focused and able to deliver deep expertise in one technology, helping vendors conquer key countries in MEA. On the other hand, I’ve also seen large integrators with big teams and excellent relationships with major accounts, opening doors and managing complex relationships that lead to success. 

Set your priorities, choose wisely, and execute together.

3.  Your Channel Org Isn’t Embedded Well Within Your Sales and Marketing Teams

We always hear, “Sales is everyone’s job” - It’s a mantra in tech companies - every function, from product to customer success, is responsible for driving sales, directly or indirectly. But what about channel and partnerships?

In many vendors, ecosystem leaders carry quotas and are expected to drive channel-led sales. However, when it comes to execution, there’s often a disconnect between aligning the internal sales, marketing, and customer success teams with the partners. This turns the channel’s role into more of an “alignment and problem-solving” job instead of focusing on building the right sales motions between both sales and marketing teams (yours and the partner’s) to win together in the market.

 Here’s the thing: Channel-led business requires significant support on multiple fronts: joint sales execution, joint marketing planning, and proper operations (like QBRs). Having a partner-first mentality is essential and must be a priority across all job functions within the vendor’s organization. Partners can sense which vendors are internally aligned and which are not. Those vendors who work as one team with their partners are the ones who’ll win in the market.

I’ll cover more points in my next article .. stay tuned! In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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