Author: Steve Caunce
Date: August 2025
Authors Perspective
Over two decades in the B2B tech space have taught me a hard truth: it’s not enough to run a good campaign – you need a partner who gets the full picture. In my time leading and advising marketing teams, I’ve seen what happens when MDF is treated as a tactical checkbox rather than a strategic engine. This blog shares the critical traits I look for when helping IT services and consulting firms choose a partner who can do more than ‘run a campaign’ – someone who can deliver pipeline, prove ROI, and elevate vendor confidence. Let’s unpack what separates the contenders from the pretenders.
By Steve Caunce, Senior Marketing Consultant
Outline
Not all MDF support providers are equal – here’s how to find a partner who owns the entire MDF lifecycle, not just execution.
- How to choose the right MDF optimisation partner
- Key capabilities for managing MDF from strategy to claim
- What red flags to avoid when evaluating MDF service providers
- Importance of cultural fit and ANZ channel marketing experience
- Reviewing business outcomes through Case Study Walkthroughs
Introduction
Once your internal business case for MDF optimisation is signed off, a new question emerges: Who’s going to help us actually do this right?
The challenge isn’t just finding someone who can execute a campaign. It’s finding a partner who can guide strategic planning, collaborate effectively with the vendor providing the MDF, manage MDF compliance process, deliver results, and report ROI – all without overwhelming your internal teams.
Unfortunately, many agencies focus only on the ‘splashy’ execution part – the campaign itself – while ignoring what makes MDF really work: alignment, compliance, and credibility with your vendors.
This blog explores the five essential traits of an effective MDF delivery partner and the warning signs that signal they may not be up to the task.
1. Look for End-to-End Capability – Not Just Creative Execution
Your MDF partner shouldn’t be limited to creating assets or running LinkedIn ads. They need to guide the full lifecycle:
- Strategic MDF planning with sales and vendor alignment
- Campaign design and execution
- Vendor engagement and approvals
- ROI tracking and claim submission
Think of it this way: an effective partner is not just your creative agency – they’re your co-pilot for vendor marketing success.
Questions to ask:
- Can you show us how you align campaign ideas with vendor funding priorities?
- How do you manage the claim and approval process?
2. Check for a Proven Track Record and Testimonials
When choosing an MDF partner, past performance is one of the best indicators of future success. A reliable partner should be able to demonstrate real-world results and share testimonials from clients who’ve successfully turned MDF into measurable growth.
What to look for:
- Case studies that show clear outcomes such as pipeline uplift, improved vendor visibility, or faster claim approvals
- Testimonials from IT services or consulting firms similar to your own
- Evidence of experience across multiple vendor programs (e.g. Microsoft, Cisco, Fortinet, Veeam)
- Examples of how they’ve helped clients secure repeat MDF allocations
Red flag: Providers who can’t back up their promises with specific client feedback, or who only talk in general terms without sharing measurable results.
3. Prioritise Cultural Fit and Local Expertise
Channel dynamics in New Zealand and Australia are unique. Vendor funding rules, procurement norms, and partner marketing expectations vary significantly from global norms.
Choose a partner who:
- Understands ANZ vendor ecosystems
- Has experience operating in the New Zealand market
- Can navigate APAC channel hierarchies
- Has experience coaching local teams through change
Tip: Ask for examples of vendor-funded campaigns delivered for similar-sized IT services or consulting firms in your region.
4. Avoid Providers Who Don’t Touch Compliance or Claims
There are three phases to the MDF process:
- The upfront justification and business case to secure the funding in the first place.
- The execution of the campaign in line wit the parameters that MDF policies dictate.
- The post event claim process to secure the funding.
Running a campaign is only half the battle. If your partner leaves vendor claims and compliance forms to your internal team, you’re back in the same bottleneck.
Warning signs:
- “We don’t handle the claim submission – you’ll need to do that part”
- “Our focus is creative – we don’t do post-campaign reporting”
A great MDF partner removes the admin burden, not adds to it. They solve all of the problem not just part of it.
5. Insist on Real Case Study Walkthroughs
When you’re evaluating an MDF partner, the most convincing evidence isn’t a proposal or a pitch deck – it’s a real campaign they’ve successfully delivered. Ask for a detailed case study walkthrough that shows exactly how they’ve taken MDF from planning through to outcomes.
A strong case study should highlight:
- The starting challenge – for example, a partner struggling with underutilised MDF or slow vendor approvals.
- The solution approach – how the partner structured planning, gained vendor buy-in, and executed the campaign.
- The compliance process – how claim submissions and vendor reporting were handled efficiently.
- Measured results – such as MDF utilisation rates, pipeline uplift, claim approval times, or ROI demonstrated.
- Lessons learned – how insights from the campaign were applied to strengthen future MDF activity.
This level of transparency shows you not just what a provider says they can do, but how they’ve already delivered tangible outcomes for businesses like yours.
Red flag: Providers who can’t share specific outcomes, or who only provide vague or anonymised stories without data.
Next Steps
✅ Review: MDF Partner Evaluation Checklist – The 7 Questions That Separate Strategic Partners from Tactical Vendors
| Evaluation Area | What to Look For | Red Flags |
| End-to-End Capability | Strategic planning, campaign execution, vendor engagement, compliance management, ROI reporting | Focuses only on creative/execution without covering compliance or reporting |
| Proven Track Record | Case studies showing pipeline uplift, vendor visibility gains, and repeat MDF allocation | No specific outcomes or measurable metrics provided |
| ROI Measurement | Clear attribution to pipeline creation, AI-enabled dashboards, experience with multiple vendor claim processes | Talks only about impressions or MQLs without sales impact |
| Cultural Fit & Local Expertise | Understanding of ANZ channel dynamics, vendor programs, and procurement norms | Only offshore experience with no ANZ-specific track record |
| Vendor Compliance Management | Handles the full claim process, meets vendor timelines, avoids admin bottlenecks | Leaves compliance and claims to internal teams |
| Use of Real Case Studies | Transparent walkthroughs of campaigns from planning to claim approval, with quantified results | Only generic or anonymised examples without detail |
| Technology & Automation | Use of automation for reporting, claim submission, and ROI tracking | Reliance on manual processes leading to slow reporting and claim delays |
✅ Discuss Internally: Shortlist partners based on:
- End-to-end capability
- Vendor claim and ROI reporting experience
- Cultural fit with ANZ channel norms
- Proven Track record
✅ Plan Ahead: Before signing, request a testimonials to de-risk your investment.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right MDF partner is a strategic decision – one that impacts your pipeline, partner status, and future funding.
The right partner will help you stop managing MDF as an obligation and start using it as a lever for growth. But they must be capable of owning the outcome – not just delivering the activity.
By aligning your evaluation to the full lifecycle of MDF success – from strategy to claim – you’ll avoid the red tape traps and start building a rhythm that fuels long-term pipeline.
About the Author
Steve Caunce is a B2B marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience driving growth through channel partnerships, co-marketing programmes, and go-to-market innovation. At Digital Pivot, he helps IT services and consulting firms unlock the full value of their vendor relationships by transforming Market Development Funds into measurable pipeline outcomes. Steven is passionate about bridging the gap between strategy and execution, and making partner marketing work harder in today’s ROI-driven environment.
Connect with Steve on LinkedIn
FAQs on how to turn MDF into a Competitive Advantage for IT Services and Consulting:
- Why 60% of MDF Goes Unused Every Quarter – And What That’s Really Costing You
- The Silent Pipeline Killer: When MDF Is Disconnected From Sales
- Choosing the right MDF Partner: What to Look For
- From Chaos to Clarity – Operationalising MDF for Growth
- Turning MDF Into a Competitive Advantage for IT Services
Ready to turn MDF into a growth engine?
Let’s work together to make your vendor-funded campaigns deliver more than just compliance.
- ✅ Download a one page overview of MDF Maximiser
- ✅ Book a Free 30-Min Strategy Call
- ✅ We will help you Build a Plan, validate your ROI. Get Funded. Get Results.