The 2026 Microsoft Partner Marching Orders

As the world continues to evolve rapidly, new opportunities for Microsoft partners are consistently emerging.

For 2026, here are my thoughts on where Microsoft partners should be focused. The core here is less about technology (that’s better handled by technology experts) and more about how to successfully run your business.

1. Find ways to add extra value for your customers. Your perceived value must be clear to the customer. If you only resell licenses or hardware, it will be challenging to defend your margins, so make sure you build your business by adding value with fair margins.
2. AI is leading the way for both your customers and your operations. Make sure to embrace AI internally and welcome new AI-driven tools for software development, support services and marketing. Become "customer zero" and gain additional trustworthiness in conversations with your customers.
3. Curate a vertical market and make sure that you have staff knowledgeable in that vertical who can engage in meaningful discussions with customers. People who can understand what’s relevant and what’s needed will be a stepping stone toward elevating you to a strategic partner. This is great for your profitability and your long-term success.
4. Don’t be a "jack of all trades, master of none." You should specialize in something rather than trying to be a general supply store. Whatever your specialization, make sure it’s in high demand among your customers so there’s a viable market for your services.
5. If you specialize, build partnerships with other specialists to deliver more and better value to your customers. True and long-lasting partnerships deliver strong outcomes for everyone involved. Create coalitions of great partners that enjoy working together. It will be something that both your customers and your CFO will love.
6. Watch the bets that Microsoft is making and make sure that you’re aligned with their go-to-markets. It’s far easier to surf on top of these and differentiate your company's offerings rather than to go in the opposite direction. Don’t swim against the tide!
7. Invest in marketing and integrate it with sales. Great marketing is a very cost-effective way to feed your sales reps with qualified leads. Don’t be afraid to be a bit heavy on marketing and use AI to help do it better and smarter.
8. Go for recurring revenue. Develop meaningful subscription or consumption-based offerings and invest in measuring and improving customer success so that your customers stay forever. Recurring revenue is crucial if you’re selling your company. It also helps if you’re buying others and you’re paying with shares. When the bulk of your revenue comes from recurring revenue, you’ll see a very positive change in how your company performs.
9. Consistently update the Microsoft Partner Center portal with your activities and successes. Microsoft pays attention to this and so should you. This should, of course, be an ongoing activity and not a once-a-year endeavor.
10. Create your first Microsoft Marketplace listing and ensure it stands out. Don’t forget to regluarly fine-tune it so it becomes a great channel for your business. Create a roadmap to make your offers transactable and ready for multiparty deals. Many partners fail with their listings, but those who have figured it all out are highly successful.
11. Don’t forget about your own Web site! Make sure that it’s not outdated with old information, old certifications, old technology names and old press releases or blog posts. Ensure that it truly reflects your current capabilities and feels forward-looking. A common mistake is making your Web site too general and talking about services that are not core to your business. Assign staff to ensure it remains a great store window for your business.

Happy New Year and have a wonderful 2026!

Posted by Per Werngren on January 13, 2026