PBP: A Roadmap to FY21

By Melanie Ta, Global PDM – Toronto, Canada

Chances are you’ve heard the term PBP - a lot - lately. If you haven’t had a chance to attend a training,
look at the template or even think about how to tackle it – let me share my thoughts on framing your plan.
The key to digging in on this somewhat administrative and time-consuming task is focusing on the
WHAT, the WHY and the HOW – and potentially reframing your thinking.
WHAT:

 An Excellent PBP can set your partner up for great success in FY21 – a roadmap for their plans
and goals.
 It looks at their journey to date, FY20 successes and builds on the momentum they have
developed
 It outlines the financial plans and GTM for each area, which in turn helps you develop and secure
buy-in from those geographies that are key to a great FY21
 Your partner wants and needs agility – and a little inspiration. The PBP can help define the “art of
the possible” and establish milestones to get there as a living document

WHY:

 It helps your partner define their priorities for FY21 – a very important topline exercise. But it
also brings together those who support he partner to have a coalesced field and partner centric
plan.
 Alignment. Two big businesses with different goals? That would not spell success. By aligning
the MSFY21 roadmap with your partner’s capabilities, you can define the best path forward,
together.
 It’s great business practice. To understand your partner, their offerings, their business models and
ultimately – HOW you are going to get to joint customers, is the key to getting your partner’s
transformation soaring
HOW:

 Do some research, ask some questions.

o Here’s some suggestions:
 What is the business we will partner in and how will we measure success?
 What resources do we have to execute this plan?
 What resources do we still need to make this viable?
 What are the key products or services offerings and why are they valuable to
your customer?
 What are the target customer segments for FY21?
 How will we reach them?
 Define a strong mission statement with your partner.
 Leverage your local PDM teams and the technical resources including the Global CSA and local
PTS resources
  Have clear and defined SMART goals.
 Operational Excellence.
o This is key once the plan is in place to driving accountability and adjusting to the
inevitable roadblocks you will face.
o Get detailed and be a good PMO – drive timing and deliverables
o Celebrate – don’t forget to celebrate success – its what encourages folks to keep going!

I have had to reimagine my PBP journey to ensure I think of it not just as an administrative task, but as
my playbook for next year. I hope my tips for crafting a strong PBP help you create your own solid plan
that is meaningful for both you and your partner. When thought of as a strategy to approach all year, it
will act as a powerful tool to further enhance your partner’s business relationship with Microsoft in FY21.
Happy Selling!