Does it feel like January is flying by for anyone else?

We finished up our 2024 planning session in December, and I had the joy of a few days off with my family. Last year was exhausting but exhilarating. New business, new tech, a new brand platform, fresh goals for next year. I was inspired by our clients’ courage to try new things, break the old molds that weren’t enough, and partner with us again to reach new heights.

I’ve found it important to stay focused, even as the world is struggling and social media is even more distracting. The discipline I use for planning is often an anchor for how I move through the rest of life. I’m thankful that my team is willing and able to join me on this journey we take each year to plan for the next.

Last year, I prioritized face time and in-person gatherings: meeting with our clients, partners, and team members. I'd missed this so much! And while it feels like I've been in this industry for 100 years, it was even more compelling to invest in new learning opportunities by immersing myself in the content of my colleagues. That's how you stay fresh and bold!

I was honored to speak or be featured at some of the most impactful industry moments last year:

• PI Live, Miami - Moderator
• Affiliate Summit East 2023
• Shoptalk Meetup for Women - Moderator
• CardCon 2023 - Moderator
• Agency Spotlight from Everflow
• WWD on measuring effectiveness in partnership marketing

If you missed any of this, you can catch some of the exciting stuff happening around the partnership marketing community this past year here.

I am sure most of us would agree that 2023 was not easy for businesses committed to ambitious growth. While we had a strong year, here are some of the challenges we’ve tackled head-on, together:

Incrementality

Historically, the industry has struggled to assess the true value of the affiliate channel. So, we built a technology to help them know which of their affiliates are generating real lift for their businesses. Instead of teams of data analysts poring over reams of data, we’ve created a system where they can understand the incremental value of each partner as they evaluate spending and the return they need to achieve real growth. You can read more here.

GA4

Speaking of analytics - what a hiccup. Adjusting data to see the longitudinal view in a before-and-after-GA4 world has also been tough. With GA covering an estimated 89% of the market, we partnered with the smart folks at Drumline to empower our clients to understand how to align their FUSE Incrementality?? Index insights with GA4's DDA model to define success. Take a look at our partnership here.

Talent

The yin-yang of retention and talent acquisition, particularly if you’re growing, was a roller coaster this past year. Fortunately, our talent retention numbers are extraordinary, and we’re adding new training and development modules to keep our team fresh. I’m so grateful for their tenacity, dedication, and alignment with our mission at PartnerCentric.

As we dive into the work ahead, I want to express my gratitude to our clients, our partners, and those of you still learning more about PartnerCentric. Let's continue to drive toward opportunity with purpose and focus.

Here's where you can learn more about our FUSE Incrementality??Index. If you're already up to speed, take a look at our recently launched Incrementality Power Rankings dashboard here.

#incrementality #affiliatemarketing #marketingROI