Channel Performance
Playbook 2026
Fuel your partner ecosystem with data-backed insights on ROI, automation, and joint execution.
Our 2026 Channel Performance Playbook captures a channel in strategic upheaval. Vendors are shifting from enablement to accountability, pouring budget into the ecosystem yet demanding auditable ROI in return. Partners, meanwhile, crave net-new pipeline and AI-driven simplicity but face tight resources and tactical misalignment.
The ROI imperative has moved from board-level goal to day-to-day operating rule. Success now depends on four accelerators: airtight attribution, consistent execution, vendor-led automation, and true lead alignment.
Our survey of 200 channel marketing and partner leaders reveals where money is flowing, where the gaps are widening, and the concrete moves you can make to stay ahead. Scroll to see the data, the implications, and the ready-to-run plays.
Survey Snapshot
100 vendor marketers and 100 channel partners took part, spanning North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC. Roles ranged from Director to VP at tech firms of 200 to 10,000+ employees.
Critical Themes
Proof
Confidence
Automation
Alignment
ROI Proof (#ROI)
Only 26% of channel teams rate their reporting as very effective.
Budgets are climbing, but patience is shrinking. Without rock-solid attribution, 74 % of teams risk funding cuts and reactive spend.
- Audit every MDF dollar against closed revenue
- Replace case-by-case funding with performance triggers
- Share live dashboards with partners within 24 hours
Execution Gap
30% of partners call vendors very effective in co-selling
Being liked is not the same as moving deals
- Supply co-branded kits
- Mandate follow-up SLA
- Track won revenue
Automation Wave
43% of vendors and 37% of partners place AI adoption at the top of their 2026 agenda
Tech must compensate for headcount limits
- Deploy AI scoring
- Automate campaign launch
- Personalise partner content
Alignment Fix
31% of partners want lead gen support, vendors sink 31% of MDF into events
Spend is mismatched with need
- Shift 10 % of event budget to lead programs
- Co-design GTM calendars
- Measure pipeline not registrations
Expert Quote
Where We Fit In
- First-party audience of 220 million buyers fuels partner pipeline
- Scalable and personalized partner campaigns launch in days, not months
- Detailed reporting to maximize your ROI
- Tailored execution targeting decision-makers at the right stage of the funnel