Introduction: The New Buyer’s Journey
Today’s SaaS and particularly ERP-related software buyers are radically different from even a decade ago. They are self-educated, digital-first, and often more than halfway through their decision process before they ever engage a salesperson. Gartner research suggests that B2B buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting with potential suppliers, while the majority is spent researching independently.
This shift puts more of the funnel responsibility on marketing teams. No longer is marketing simply about generating awareness—it is about equipping every go-to-market (GTM) motion with the right content, enablement, and positioning so that prospects are nurtured well before a sales conversation.
The challenge is clear: how should SaaS and ERP companies allocate marketing resources across four different GTM motions—sell-through (VAR resellers), sell-with (co-sell alliances), referrals (centers of influence), and direct sales? Each requires distinct strategies, budgets, and metrics to maximize ROI.
The Four GTM Motions Explained
Before diving deeper, let’s define the four motions:
- Sell-Through (VAR/Resellers): Partners embed your software in their deals, reselling your solution alongside their services.
- Sell-With (Co-Sell/Alliances): You collaborate with strategic partners—ERP platforms, ISVs, or complementary SaaS vendors—on joint opportunities.
- Referrals & Centers of Influence: Leads are sourced through trusted advisors, consultants, CPAs, or satisfied customers.
- Direct Sales: Your own sales team engages prospects without partner leverage, relying on marketing to generate demand.
Each motion has unique strengths, limitations, and investment requirements.
Motion #1: VAR Resellers (Sell-Through)
VARs (Value-Added Resellers) are essential in ERP and SaaS ecosystems because they bring domain expertise and trusted customer relationships. But they are also juggling multiple vendor relationships, making it easy for your solution to get lost in the noise.
Marketing Priorities:
- Develop co-branded content libraries (brochures, case studies, pitch decks).
- Provide MDF (marketing development funds) for local campaigns.
- Deliver training, enablement, and industry-specific messaging (HCM, manufacturing, job costing, field service).
Challenges: VARs are motivated by what sells fastest and most profitably. If your marketing isn’t making it easy to position your product, they will prioritize competitors.
KPIs to Track:
- Partner-led pipeline coverage.
- Campaign adoption rates.
- Percentage of deals where your software is the lead solution.
Motion #2: Sell-With (Co-Sell Partnerships)
Co-selling has become increasingly critical in SaaS and ERP ecosystems, especially as cloud platforms push marketplace-driven models. This motion thrives on shared stories and aligned value propositions.
Marketing Priorities:
- Develop integration-focused campaigns that highlight joint customer wins.
- Produce joint webinars and industry events to build credibility.
- Publish thought leadership that positions both companies as stronger together.
Challenges: Message alignment can be difficult, particularly when two organizations have different marketing priorities or sales motions. Coordination requires ongoing investment.
KPIs to Track:
- Partner-sourced pipeline growth.
- Number of joint opportunities influenced.
- ACV (annual contract value) increase in deals with partner collaboration.
Motion #3: Referrals & Centers of Influence
Referral sources and centers of influence (such as CPAs, consultants, or system integrators) often generate the highest-quality leads because they come pre-qualified and highly trusted. But this motion can be difficult to scale without a structured program.
Marketing Priorities:
- Create referral incentive programs with tiered rewards.
- Arm influencers with ROI calculators, customer stories, and lightweight one-pagers.
- Foster ongoing community-building through advisory boards or micro-events.
Challenges: Relationships drive this channel, not advertising. Consistency and trust take time to build.
KPIs to Track:
- Referral volume and close rates.
- Average deal size of referral-driven leads.
- Customer lifetime value (CLTV) compared to other channels.
Motion #4: Direct Sales
Direct sales remain the backbone of most SaaS and ERP organizations, but they also carry the highest acquisition cost when marketing is not tightly aligned.
Marketing Priorities:
- Run targeted demand generation campaigns (ABM, SEO, paid search).
- Build persona-driven content journeys for CFOs, controllers, or operations leaders.
- Create thought leadership that educates the market long before an RFP stage.
Challenges: With no partner leverage, CAC (customer acquisition cost) is highest. Content and targeting must be precise to convert efficiently.
KPIs to Track:
- Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) → Sales Qualified Leads (SQL) conversion.
- Win rates and sales velocity.
- CAC vs. CLTV ratio.
Comparative Analysis: Where to Invest Marketing Dollars
Each GTM motion serves a distinct purpose:
| GTM Motion | Scalability | Cost to Execute | Trust Factor | Message Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAR Resellers | High | Moderate | Medium | Low |
| Sell-With (Co-Sell) | Medium | High | High | Medium |
| Referrals/COIs | Low | Low | Very High | Low |
| Direct Sales | Medium | High | Medium | High |
Strategic Recommendation by Company Stage:
- Early-Stage SaaS/ERP: Focus on Referrals + Direct Sales for credibility and cash flow.
- Mid-Stage Growth: Invest in VAR Resellers + Co-Sell Alliances to scale reach.
- Mature Companies: Diversify across all four, optimizing spend based on data.
This staged approach ensures marketing resources are aligned with growth maturity.
Tracking & Measuring Impact
Measuring impact is critical. Too often, partner motions get under-credited because attribution models default to “last touch.” To allocate budget wisely, marketing leaders must build a multi-touch attribution model that shows how each GTM motion contributes.
Metrics That Matter Across Motions:
- Marketing-sourced vs. partner-sourced pipeline.
- Multi-touch attribution showing influenced revenue.
- CAC vs. CLTV by channel.
Tools to Leverage: Salesforce with proper partner attribution, PRM (Partner Relationship Management) platforms, and advanced analytics dashboards.
Example: One ERP SaaS provider discovered referral-driven opportunities closed at 2.5x higher rates than direct MQLs. By shifting more dollars toward nurturing their consultant network, they reduced CAC and increased deal quality.
Conclusion: Strategic Alignment Between Sales & Marketing
The modern buyer journey demands that marketing is not simply a demand-generation engine—it is a strategic enabler across every GTM motion. VAR resellers, co-sell partners, referral sources, and direct sales each require different investments, but all must be fed with high-quality content, enablement, and measurable programs.
The most effective marketing leaders in SaaS and ERP will:
- Align spend with company stage and motion scalability.
- Track performance with attribution models that go beyond last touch.
- Partner closely with sales to ensure execution matches strategy.
The question is no longer if you should diversify across GTM motions—it’s how strategically and measurably you’ll invest.
Call to Action: Audit your current marketing spend by GTM motion. Where are you over-invested, and where might higher-trust or partner-driven channels accelerate growth? The answers may redefine how you scale in the next 12 months.
