Dicker Data for Microsoft
Differentiated in a highly competitive Microsoft distribution ecosystem.
CHALLENGE
Dicker Data is ANZ’s largest local Microsoft distributor with a dedicated team of 28 specialists with expertise spanning strategic, technical, sales, marketing, licensing and operations.
They have a proven track record supporting Microsoft partners to build their practices and drive profitable growth across three clouds – Microsoft Azure, M365 and Dynamics 365, embedded with Security, AI and Copilot.
Dicker Data operates within a highly complex and competitive market, with a number of internationally-owned Microsoft distributors claiming, at face value, to offer the same set of services, solutions and benefits. This makes it hard for partners to differentiate between Microsoft distributors and for Dicker Data to stand out amongst the pack.
Dicker Data engaged Rocket Science to help capture and articulate their unique value proposition and package up their exclusive value into a go-to-market program to grow awareness and engagement amongst both prospective and existing Microsoft partners, and more clearly differentiate from competitors.
STRATEGIC SOLUTION
Early 2024, we kicked off the project by facilitating a workshop with the Dicker Data Microsoft executive team and solution leaders to capture valuable inputs with regards to the competitive landscape, contextual factors influencing partners and SMB customers, audience roles and needs, and exclusive capabilities and experiences that make up the Dicker Data Microsoft offering. Rocket Science also interviewed two Dicker Data Microsoft partners to understand, from their perspectives, what differentiates Dicker Data from other distributors in market, and the success they have achieved working together.
From these inputs, Rocket Science built the strategic narrative which articulated the context, audience need and the Dicker Data difference which led to the unique value proposition and strategic go-to-market platform of ‘Let’s Make Microsoft Work for You.’
This proposition then became the springboard for the richer narrative that covered the team’s extensive expertise and deep strategic alignment and partnership with Microsoft and the immense exclusive value they deliver with more than 40 programs, many with funding support, spanning key stages of the Dicker Data Microsoft partner journey from onboarding to capability building and enablement through to go-to-market success.
Working very collaboratively with Dicker Data and their in-house design team and extended supplier network, over the last 8 months Rocket Science helped to create an extensive portfolio of content to bring their unique value proposition and story to life. Our contribution included strategic direction, copywriting and project management for the following assets:
- Dicker Data for Microsoft Style Guide
- Dicker Data for Microsoft Partner Playbook
- Dicker Data for Microsoft Pitch Deck
- Value proposition video featuring the executive team and the Microsoft Partner Manager
- 7 x partner success story videos
- 4 x written partner success stories
- Full website copy
- A comprehensive partner-facing program reference guide (featuring over 40 programs)
- A comprehensive program blueprint (for internal use)
- Event pull-up banner
In early 2025, Rocket Science and Dicker Data worked together to create a compelling go-to-market campaign to launch the new messaging in market and to grow awareness and engagement amongst existing Microsoft partners and more broadly through a brand blitz across media channels, ARN and CRN publications. Assets included a series of emails, social posts, display banners and an editorial article.
OUTCOME
‘Let’s Make Microsoft Work for You’ is resonating with new and existing partners, the dedicated Dicker Data for Microsoft team and Microsoft directly.
This value proposition, together with the narrative and portfolio of content assets, has supported the Dicker Data Microsoft team to have a consistent message across all partner touchpoints, whether 1:1 or 1:many and across all solutions.
The depth of this authentic narrative differentiates Dicker Data from competitors by proving they have rich and compelling evidence to substantiate their value proposition – it’s not just a surface statement.
This has enabled Dicker Data to showcase the exclusive and unrivalled value across their Microsoft offering, while providing greater clarity for Microsoft partners around tangible benefits and outcomes for them.
All the ARN / CRN assets are generating consistently high open and click-through rates.
The messaging is also highly versatile and can be easily applied to other exclusive Dicker Data Microsoft initiatives including the soon-to-launch Microsoft 365 security bundles and add-ons specifically built for Dicker Data for Microsoft partners and SMB customers.
“Rocket Science helped us develop a narrative and creative direction that helps Dicker Data stand out in a highly cluttered market. It adds a human element and captures the essence of how we support our partners to build a profitable Microsoft business. Our tagline, ‘We Make Microsoft Work for You’, has become a platform we can use across the business in our sales, operations and marketing efforts. The feedback from Microsoft and partners has been overwhelmingly positive and we’ve seen an increase in partners’ interest in exploring a relationship with Dicker Data.”
– Sonya Aboudargham, Senior Marketing Manager – Microsoft, Dicker Data