ITEXPO 2025: Community Is the New Channel and It's Here to Stay

The first day of ITEXPO 2025, part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW, was winding down. After an exciting day of panel sessions covering topics from cybersecurity, generative AI, telecom, the future of work, agent engagement, etc., there was one final session of the day that drew my attention

This ITEXPO (News - Alert) 2025 presentation featured Charlene Ignacio, CMO of Fornix Marketing, who didn’t mince words: the traditional channel model is failing. For decades, it has been overly transactional, focused more on “What can I get?” rather than “How do we grow together?” But according to Ignacio, the future isn’t about the channel. It’s about community.

During her session, “Channel is Dead. It’s All About Community,” Ignacio outlined her Community Framework, dubbed “Win to the 4th Power,” a strategy where business, partners, vendors, and community all benefit. The key to success is engagement and trust.

“The decline of the channel is because it was always about ‘What am I gonna get out of you?’” she explained. Instead, businesses need to shift to community-driven marketing, where relationship-building takes center stage. Creating engaging, relevant content, fostering peer groups, and aligning sales and marketing teams are just some of the strategies that drive this new approach.

One of the biggest takeaways?

 Trust is everything. “Tell the truth. Your partners are going to find out anyway,” Ignacio and participants in the audience emphasized. In an industry where competitors are actively poaching partners, maintaining credibility and following through on promises are non-negotiable.

On the tactical side, she urged companies to assess their partner reputation before launching any ad campaigns. “What does your current partner say about you? Do they think you’re amazing? If not, start there.”

When it comes to selling SaaS (News - Alert) or engaging MSPs, businesses must understand what truly matters to them—predictable revenue, reliable solutions, and strong alignment between sales and marketing.

“Start where you are, not where you want to be,” Ignacio advised.

Her final words of wisdom?

“Partner programs make so much money when you do it right,” said Ignacio.