Marketing playbook

For your marketing team, 6 actions to drive Marketplace demand.

0 of 6 done 10 weeks Part of your Co-Sell motion
Phase 1 · Week 1–2

Set Up Visibility

By the end of this phase: Your Marketplace presence is established. Customers and Microsoft sellers can find you.

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Marketplace Rewards auto-unlocks the moment you publish an offer. No separate enrollment needed. Benefits are available to all partners regardless of competency, Solutions Partner designation, or partner type.

  1. Publish an offer on the commercial marketplace, which auto-unlocks your Marketplace Rewards
  2. Find & activate your benefits in Partner Center
  3. Request a listing review as your first reward, free advice most ISVs leave on the tableMarketplace Rewards
  4. Implement Microsoft's recommendations (description, screenshots, keywords)
  5. Want hands-on help? Email rewards@microsoft.com to get assigned to a Rewards advisor
  6. Review higher tiers to plan what unlocks as your Marketplace Billed Sales (MBS) grows
Done well: Your listing is optimized per Microsoft's recommendations and at least one marketing benefit is activated. You know what tiers are ahead.

Your market needs to know you're on the Azure Marketplace. Public announcements create awareness and ecosystem credibility.

  1. Publish a LinkedIn post announcing you are now live on Azure Marketplace, focusing on simpler procurement for your customers
  2. Add a Microsoft Partner badge and marketplace link to your websitePartner Logo BuilderBrand GuidelinesAzure Marketplace
  3. Email your customer and prospect lists highlighting the new purchasing option
  4. Include it in any partner newsletters or channel communications
Done well: Anyone searching for your solution can immediately see you're on the marketplace.
Phase 2 · Week 3–6

Create Content

By the end of this phase: Your sales materials are ready. Microsoft sellers can pitch your solution immediately.

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Microsoft AEs sell hundreds of solutions. A one-pager written from their perspective makes it effortless for them to understand and pitch yours. Use WeTransact's Co-Sell templates to get started fast.

  1. Create a one-page PDF: what pain you solve, which Microsoft products you complement, how you help burn MACC
  2. Use Microsoft terminology, framing everything from the seller's perspective
  3. Simplify your better-together story for quick consumption
  4. Share it with your sales team for forwarding to Microsoft AEs via WeTransact Outreach CampaignsPortalGo to MarketOutreach Campaigns
Done well: Your team has a one-pager any Microsoft seller can understand in 60 seconds. It has been sent to at least 3 AEs.

Knowing who else is on the marketplace in your category lets you differentiate and arm your sales team with competitive intelligence.

  1. Search Azure Marketplace for solutions in your categoryAzure Marketplace
  2. Document competitors: positioning, pricing model, reviews, listing quality
  3. Identify your differentiation opportunities
  4. Create a one-page competitive summary and share it with your sales team
Done well: You have a one-page competitive summary shared with your sales team. Your listing clearly stands out from the competition.
Phase 3 · Week 7–10

Drive Demand

By the end of this phase: At least one active pipeline sourced from the Microsoft ecosystem.

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Campaigns targeting Microsoft Managed Customers generate demand directly from accounts that can transact through the marketplace.

  1. Use WeTransact's SpendMyMACC to build your Microsoft audience segment, filtered by MACC score, industry, and regionSpendMyMACC
  2. Create content combining your better-together story with MACC burn-down messagingPortalGo to MarketTarget Customer
  3. Run on LinkedIn, email, and channels where your buyers are active
  4. Track marketplace campaign performance separately to measure incremental pipeline
Done well: At least one active ABM campaign targeting Microsoft managed accounts is live, with pipeline tracked separately.

Marketing isn't just demand gen. It's also about building relationships inside the Microsoft ecosystem for long-term visibility. Combine event presence with active seller outreach for maximum impact.

  1. Find a Microsoft sponsor (PDM or AE) who can invite you to events and make introductions. Use WeTransact to identify the right AEs in your territoryPortalGo to MarketTarget Customer
  2. Attend at least one Microsoft event, prioritizing where your key account sellers will be
  3. Every event investment needs a clear purpose: meet specific sellers, strengthen a specific partnership
  4. Coordinate with your sales champion to align attendance with active pipeline
Done well: You have a named Microsoft sponsor, have attended one event with a clear objective, and have at least 2 new seller relationships added to your outreach list.