Revere Icon

"There are no limits with MDF"
How to unlock sustained growth

By Fiona McKenzie | CEO

Marketing budgets are tighter than ever, with below-inflation growth in 2024 meaning that organisations continue to do more with less. Does this leave you wondering how to sustain growth in a landscape with such constraints? 

Naturally, AI adoption springs to mind when it comes to making efficiencies in marketing today. Indeed, Gartner predicts by 2026, 80% of creatives will use GenAI daily. This is a curve we’re determinedly staying ahead of at Revere, many of our projects already enhanced by AI. 

But hiding in plain sight is another source of funding for the marketing you wish you could deliver. Today, more and more sales go (or are forecast to) through the channel – and the UK’s B2B payment value is only projected to grow over the next five years and beyond. 3  

Indirect evolution: The MDF opportunity

With static budgets and indirect sales on the rise, a wealth of opportunity lies in Marketing Development Funds (MDF). Where, traditionally, vendors generated a lot of their own demand, there’s now a shift towards increasing channel growth.

“It’s refreshing to see vendors moving from rigid checklists to more human, one-on-one conversations about marketing funds. Channel partners are gaining the freedom to focus on impactful customer experiences.” 

MDF is a secret weapon that only those in channel partnerships get to wield. But it’s time to start viewing them through a more creative – and savvy – lens. Yes, they can meet vendors’ goals – but they can also drive your business growth.

What vendors care most about today is expanding their market, particularly their SMB reach. By aligning MDF with your strategic business goals, everyone’s a winner.

“MDF is limitless because… there are budget pots in vendor organisations specifically intended to support your go-to-market efforts. Every quarter, countless Marketing Development Funds (MDF) go unclaimed, often due to a lack of understanding about how to access and use these funds effectively. This is your chance to proactively own your marketing strategy – using MDF as a springboard.” 

Turning MDF into a strategic growth engine

With not much more than a shift in mindset, MDF can lead to unlimited marketing potential. You can make the pitches you craft and the strategic relationships you build work even harder for you – and secure the budget you need. Explore your next steps with our guide to securing limitless budget.

How to take your MDF cue from here

Vendors are increasingly open to broader strategies beyond just go-to-market goals.

  • Understanding and addressing your audience’s pain points can help you secure MDF.
  • Move away from short-term, siloed planning – and break free from traditional MDF constraints.
  • Partnering with vendors not only boosts your budget but also helps you stand out in the market, capture greater mindshare, and outpace your competitors. 

To maximise your MDF opportunity and elevate your marketing sooner, dive into our free planning tool and get practical tips, strategic insight and an actionable blueprint.

And don’t forget to let us know about your strategic marketing vision. We’d love to hear how you plan to bring it to life.

Share:

Related content

Podcast

It’s time to ‘flip’ channel marketing on its head A podcast with IT Channel Oxygen

Podcast

Let’s talk about the ‘new’ customer buying journey A podcast with B2B Marketing

Article

AI drives better results and frees up our marketing team to focus on strategy Here’s how to empower your team with AI integration, starting now