Let’s be sincere. Not each enterprise partnership clicks immediately. However once they do, they seem to be a advertising and marketing dream come true.
Right this moment, strategic model collaboration has grow to be key to breakthrough advertising and marketing. Leveraging purchaser intent knowledge with precision concentrating on turns scattered advertising and marketing efforts into laser-focused methods. That is not simply networking; that is advertising and marketing alchemy. And with over a billion customers, LinkedIn proves that the correct partnership can amplify your attain exponentially.
I am not simply saying this off the cuff; now we have specialists speaking.
In my newest dialog with Lara Brownlow, head of channel gross sales and partnerships at LinkedIn, she emphasizes the significance of constructing model partnerships, how advertising and marketing leaders can leverage them, the way forward for channel gross sales, and why AI is perhaps your finest good friend.
For entrepreneurs, the message is obvious: collaboration is not nearly who you already know however how strategically you may develop collectively.
This interview is a part of G2’s Skilled Highlight sequence. For extra content material like this, subscribe to G2 Tea, a e-newsletter with SaaS-y information and leisure.
Heat-up questions
What’s your favourite beverage?
I really like all issues bubbly and glowing, so glowing water is certainly my favourite. I additionally take pleasure in glowing wine or champagne now and again.
Might you inform us about your first job?
My first correct job out of college was working for a small PR agency in Sydney that managed some enjoyable names and types. Probably the most well-known have been Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, notably once they launched their make-up line in Australia.
What’s your favourite software program or software program class in your present tech stack?
I’m simply such a giant fan of all the brand new AI instruments. I exploit Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT each single day. These instruments have considerably boosted my productiveness.
I additionally actually admire Microsoft Groups for its AI-generated summaries. Not having to manually write up notes is a game-changer, because it saves effort and time. I am a giant proponent of AI merchandise and their skill to boost our productiveness.
What issues at work make you need to throw your laptop computer out the window?
Properly, this can be a humorous one, as it’d happen throughout our name at present.
So, Microsoft and LinkedIn prioritize safe techniques, which regularly require frequent software program updates on our laptops. It seems like I am prompted to replace each couple of weeks, so I are inclined to postpone it as a lot as attainable by hitting delay. After which my pc decides to replace itself simply earlier than an vital assembly with a associate or name. These are the moments once I really feel like tossing my laptop computer out the window, however I do know it is utterly my very own doing.
Deep Dives with Lara Brownlow
So, we’ll begin by attending to know you a bit higher. Inform us about your skilled journey and the way you got here to LinkedIn.
I have been actually blessed to have a massively rewarding profession in offline and on-line media that is gone on for over 20 years now. After a quick stint in PR, the place I managed nationwide campaigns for Mary Kay, I landed a place in promoting with considered one of Australia’s largest radio networks. It was an actual studying second for me out of college to know the challenges entrepreneurs have been dealing with and the alternatives in a really quick and really reside medium.
After working for a few the main radio networks, I used to be very keen to maneuver into the web house, and Fb had simply launched an workplace in Australia. So I stalked my manner into an interview there one Friday afternoon, after which a couple of weeks later, I used to be capable of begin working for Fb.
That was a very transformative time in my profession. I realized about going deep into digital promoting and in regards to the tech ecosystem that makes digital advertising and marketing work.
Someday, I received a LinkedIn message from a recruiter right here at LinkedIn a couple of job alternative. They have been trying to find somebody to assist develop their company ecosystem, and I used to be thrilled by the prospect.
Lower to 11 years later, I’m nonetheless as impressed and passionate in regards to the work we do at LinkedIn. I am proud to be a part of constructing our enterprise, pushed by a mission and values that resonate deeply with me.
Greater than your common e-newsletter.
Each Thursday, we spill sizzling takes, insider information, and information recaps straight to your inbox. Subscribe right here
Understanding that you’re personally very lively on LinkedIn, what’s a stunning reality about you that most individuals would not know from your LinkedIn profile?
When you will not discover this on my LinkedIn profile, lots of my shut pals know that I’ve a ardour for singing. Whether or not it is karaoke, singing within the bathe, or belting out tunes within the automobile, I adore it all — a lot to the occasional dismay of my youngsters, who aren’t all the time eager on listening to my live shows.
I even studied artistic arts briefly in college, dreaming of a profession on stage. Nonetheless, life had different plans, and I discovered my calling in advertising and marketing and promoting expertise as an alternative.
Having a profession on stage would have been difficult! However then once more, I’m positive so is your present function. Inform us about the important thing challenges you encounter when managing channel gross sales and partnerships at LinkedIn.
There are a couple of key issues that come to thoughts once we speak about challenges in my discipline.
First, prioritization generally is a problem. Given the huge MarTech panorama with 1000’s of corporations, figuring out which companions to give attention to is crucial, particularly, these partnerships that yield the perfect outcomes for our LinkedIn prospects. My function entails figuring out which partnerships to deepen for mutual profit.
Secondly, having a win-win perspective is vital. Whereas this is not precisely a problem, it is foundational to profitable partnerships. At LinkedIn, now we have all the time aimed to seek out mutual alternatives — asking how we are able to collaborate, what the joint alternatives seem like, and making certain each events profit.
After which lastly, sustaining nice cross-functional relationships will be troublesome however is extraordinarily vital. Now we have this philosophy that relationships matter. And when working with gross sales, advertising and marketing, and exterior companions, it is vital to establish, develop, and keep the correct relationships.
“Success on this function depends on these three pillars: prioritization, win-win collaboration, and relationship constructing.”
Lara Brownlow
Head of channel gross sales and partnerships at LinkedIn
We talked about human collaboration and sustaining cross-functional relationships, however with the rise of AI, do you suppose relying closely on it’s essential for advertising and marketing and gross sales leaders?
Proper now, it is essential for gross sales and advertising and marketing leaders to have a robust understanding of AI. With expertise turning into so superior, it’s important to study and sustain with it, and the one manner to take action is by upskilling. Understanding which instruments to make the most of and the way they will improve your productiveness is vital.
As an example, I exploit ChatGPT to generate compelling emails and depend on AI-generated summaries in Microsoft Groups to streamline my workflow. These instruments save me plenty of time. AI options in Canva assist me create visually interesting templates inside minutes regardless of my lack of design experience.
Moreover, AI’s potential in gross sales forecasting can’t be overstated. By figuring out patterns and predicting future gross sales traits, AI instruments like Clari assist gross sales leaders make knowledgeable selections, allocate sources successfully, and strategize easily.
“The potential of AI is simply set to broaden, so it is vital to not be left behind.”
Lara Brownlow
Head of channel gross sales and partnerships at LinkedIn
I feel it is vital to have a mindset to check and study which platforms will drive probably the most outcomes to your firm. Within the quick time period, AI is already an enormous time saver for entrepreneurs, creating efficiencies and driving higher productiveness and higher conversions, which can solely enhance over time.
Talking of the transformation of gross sales, how do you foresee the way forward for channel gross sales evolving, particularly within the context of digital platforms like LinkedIn?
What I’ve realized, notably in my function over the various years, is that channel gross sales imply various things in numerous corporations.
At LinkedIn, our channel gross sales initially revolved round our licensed advertising and marketing associate program, focusing considerably on the API companions inside our gross sales and advertising and marketing merchandise. However, in different corporations, it refers to extra resellers and extra conventional gross sales.
No matter the way you outline channel gross sales, one factor is for certain — with digital platforms, data-driven partnerships will proceed to be extra vital as they assist our mutual prospects plan, execute, and measure their B2B advertising and marketing extra effectively.
In consequence, data-driven methods are possible on the forefront of the continuing evolution in channel gross sales.
Given your function at LinkedIn, how have you ever seen the significance and dynamics of name partnerships evolve, and what new alternatives do you consider they current for corporations at present?
Model partnerships have grow to be important in at present’s time. LinkedIn itself is an unimaginable platform with an enormous and quickly rising person base, at present at a billion customers worldwide. Nonetheless, the true magic occurs once we combine our companions into the combo.
Take our partnership with G2, for instance. By combining G2’s purchaser intent knowledge with LinkedIn’s distinctive concentrating on capabilities and leveraging our skilled knowledge, companions can run extremely focused video and lead technology campaigns. This strategy permits exact concentrating on of prospects at numerous phases of the funnel, driving excellent outcomes for our tech and SaaS shoppers.
As we glance to the longer term, we’re more and more targeted on co-market methods. Our partnerships group collaborates carefully, each on the headquarters and regional ranges, to align gross sales efforts and create joint advertising and marketing initiatives. So, I feel that’s how model partnerships are going to proceed and be an asset for corporations as we transfer ahead.
Speaking about model partnerships, how can advertising and marketing leaders leverage high-value partnerships? Any ideas that you simply wish to share?
For entrepreneurs, it is essential to first perceive how successfully your present MarTech stack is built-in, notably along with your buyer relationship administration (CRM) associate. For instance, are you using LinkedIn’s lead technology API to feed knowledge instantly into your CRM? Highly effective instruments, like LinkedIn’s Gross sales Navigator, can use CRM sync options to combine seamlessly with techniques like HubSpot and Salesforce. This ensures that your gross sales and advertising and marketing efforts are tightly aligned.
In the event you’re a G2 buyer, ask your self when you’re leveraging your purchaser intent knowledge inside your LinkedIn campaigns. We regularly discover that entrepreneurs are unaware of those prospects. That’s the place you may attain out to our group.
Our devoted buyer options engineers specialise in assessing your advert tech stack, figuring out integration alternatives, and recommending enhancements. They’ll information you on utilizing companions for computer-assisted private interviewing (CAPI) on LinkedIn to raised measure your marketing campaign effectiveness and counsel companions to fill any gaps recognized.
“Understanding your present advert tech stack’s integration capabilities and determining if there are any potential gaps is step one.”
Lara Brownlow
Head of channel gross sales and partnerships at LinkedIn
Along with your 20+ years of business expertise, what’s that one piece of recommendation that you simply wish to give somebody who’s simply beginning out within the advertising and marketing house?
I as soon as gave a speech to a gaggle of younger professionals coming into the sphere when somebody raised a priority in regards to the relentless tempo of change within the business. They talked about that this fixed change can really feel overwhelming. My reply was to have a progress mindset.
The one constant factor is change. It’s fixed, and for me, I’ve used it as a chance, and I’ve leaned into it. As a substitute of viewing new challenges as daunting duties, I strategy them with enthusiasm.
I’ve constantly upskilled and tailored, and this dedication to ongoing studying has been invaluable. Even at present, as new developments in AI and different applied sciences emerge, I give attention to staying forward and enhancing my ability set.
So, my recommendation is if you wish to survive on this business, embrace change with eagerness, always search private {and professional} progress, and keep in mind that studying does not cease after college.
In the event you loved this insightful dialog, subscribe to G2 Tea for the newest tech and advertising and marketing thought management.
Observe Lara Brownlow on LinkedIn to raised perceive the world of name partnerships and the way LinkedIn is altering it is dynamics.
Edited by Supanna Das
