Summary
A $380 billion market exists for IT products/services in North America, the VAST MAJORITY being delivered in a partnering manner (tech vendors, distributors, and Solution Providers). Helping clients in information technology market segments better understand the ROI on their spending directly impacts top and bottom line results of vendors and their partners. "About 1%" or $4 billion is spent yearly on business development activities. ROI is rarely understood since much of it flows through partnerings firm. Current economic conditions dictate a greater need for accountability and greater need to deliver results. The delivery of technology solutions helps no less than four businesses; 1. The end customers gain solutions to problems/opportunities 2 - 4. The vendor(s), distributor(s), and Solution Providers win some or all of a sale, win market share, and the best position to maximize the clients' lifetime value. Understanding the ROI helps all make better informed decisons.
Analysis
HP and IBM will each spend "about" $1 billion this year promoting their business and solutions, much of it in conjunction with numersous business and channel partners. Oracle's acquisiton of Sun Microsystems will cause them to increase the joint marketing spending dramatically. Every technology company has a budget to maintain its cleint relationships aqnd find new ones. Every technology company is under the microscope to show results.
As we all know from beta vs VCR and many other examples, the best technology does not necessarily win market share.
Developing a premium brand and developing business from the brand is difficult in and of itself. Developing a co-brand (vendor and business partner) and developing buisiness from that co-brand is exponentially harder (think Intel inside/Dell; Intel inside/HP; Intel inside/etc)...
For too many years, the tracking and measurement of joint business development activities has not occurred as judiciously as it needs to right now and will for the foreseeable future. Each year, $400 billion is available to those who plan and execute. just in the US and Canada..
