Channel highlights from Gartner's technology and innovation conference

1. Channels and ecosystems are increasing in importance, and being able to message and differentiate THROUGH the channel is critical.

2. Finding the right channel partners is important; we can provide the framework suggesting the right steps, but actually finding them demands hard work and good selling.

3. Money seems to be continuing to flow from VCs and PE firms, and neither market conditions nor political uncertainty seem able to impede that. M-A is also alive and well.

4. Customers continue to demand PoCs (proofs of concept), and providers still have angst over offering them. Good news – there are solutions (e.g., ProoV) out there.

5. Business buyers are an ever-increasing target, and many providers are figuring out how to find them and message to them.

6. "Supporting digital transformation [or digital business] initiatives of customers" is a common mantra – no surprise, but arguably, we're now in "mode 2" of message tailoring and specificity in that regard.

7. Pricing into the above opportunity – and advancing with cloud while often maintaining "legacy" (think on prem) products – is a challenge.