On the road: Dean Wootton, Pure Storage

Join Rick Currier for another dynamic episode as he converses with Dean Wootton, a partner marketing professional at Pure Storage. Discover Dean’s journey from sales and distribution to his current role, where he navigates the complexities of partner relationships and marketing strategies in the data storage industry. Explore Dean’s unique approach to measuring success and fostering communities in B2B marketing, and gain insights on overcoming challenges with confidence and innovation. Tune in for a captivating discussion packed with valuable advice and industry expertise.

The partner marketing success metric framework with Dean Wootton

In a recent episode of “On the Road,” Rick Currier sat down with Dean Wootton, a marketing leader at Pure Storage, to discuss his career trajectory, insights on partner marketing, and the evolving landscape of the IT industry. Wootton’s story is one of passion, adaptability, and strategic vision, making for an inspiring narrative that highlights the importance of aligning marketing strategies with business goals.

The beginnings: from sales to marketing

Dean Wootton’s career began in a rather unconventional manner. “I started in sales. I was selling DVDs and CDs out and greetings cards,” he reminisced, highlighting the diverse experiences that shaped his early professional years . It was through these experiences that Wootton discovered his passion for marketing, leading him to transition from a sales role to the world of marketing.

Reflecting on his journey, Wootton shared, “I realized I enjoyed marketing more than I did sales and then moved to a marketing agency.” This pivotal decision opened doors to various industries, from the motor industry to tech and recruitment, ultimately guiding him to the IT channel .

Embracing channel marketing

At Pure Storage, Wootton found his calling in channel marketing, a role he believes is crucial for driving business success. “Partner marketing is around a partnership. It’s about a true partnership of two organizations sharing their values and best practices to drive pipeline,” he explained . This philosophy underscores the importance of collaboration and mutual benefit in achieving marketing objectives.

Wootton’s approach to partner marketing is holistic and strategic. He emphasized that it’s not merely about generating leads but extending the global brand reach through partners. “We need to be looking at how we extend our global brand and reach through our partners. How are we engaged with them? How are we working together from a thought leadership perspective?” he elaborated .

“Partner marketing is about a true partnership of two organizations sharing their values and best practices to drive pipeline. There are so many different elements of that, from content creation to thought leadership and social media strategy.”-Rick Currier

The journey from traditional media to digital mastery

Wootton’s career began in the realms of traditional media, where he witnessed firsthand the industry’s seismic shifts. Reflecting on his early days, he remarked, “Even 10-12 years ago, we were kind of traditional media planners and buyers. There was some search, there was some social; people didn’t know what programmatic was” . This period marked the beginning of a significant transition towards digital expertise, a journey that Wootton and his team at Pure Storage embraced with vigor.

Under Wootton’s leadership, Pure Storage evolved from a small team into a global operation, adapting to the rapid advancements in digital technology and data analytics. This transformation required not only technical proficiency but also a deep understanding of market dynamics and consumer behavior. “We’ve kind of been about always trying to stay at the forefront of what the market’s doing in the B2B marketing world,” Wootton explained, highlighting the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence .

Strategic vision and business alignment

A critical aspect of Wootton’s strategy at Pure Storage is aligning marketing efforts with the company’s broader business objectives. “We want to be able to focus on a very clear message to our partners, a very clear message out to our audience, and we want to align around two or three core values,” he stated. This clarity of purpose ensures that all marketing activities are consistent and contribute to the overall brand identity .

Wootton also stressed the importance of having a documented strategy that aligns with business plans. “It should be completely aligned to a business plan that you have with your partner. You will sit down with your partners and say, ‘This is where we are now. This is where we would jointly like to go over the next 12-18 months,'” he noted. This approach fosters transparency and accountability, driving long-term success .

Conclusion

Dean Wootton’s journey from sales to marketing leadership at Pure Storage exemplifies the power of passion, adaptability, and strategic thinking. His insights into partner marketing and the evolving digital landscape offer valuable lessons for marketers and business leaders alike. As Wootton aptly put it, “It’s about building that trust, building that relationship, understanding how you can be mutually beneficial to each other to ultimately drive pipeline” . This philosophy of collaboration and alignment continues to drive Pure Storage’s success in the competitive IT industry.

“”Don’t be afraid to try something new. And have confidence in your ability. People put you in a role for a reason because they can see something. So don’t hold back and push boundaries.” Dean Wootton

Dean Wootton is the Senior Manager, Global Partner Demand at Pure Storage

About Pure Storage :  

Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG) delivers the industry’s best platform to store, manage, and protect the world’s data. With a cloud experience across a unified storage operating environment, Pure empowers every organization with the agility to meet evolving data requirements at speed and scale, while reducing total cost of ownership. Pure believes it can make a meaningful impact in reducing data center emissions worldwide by providing a storage platform that enables customers to significantly reduce their carbon and energy footprint. Pure is proud to be a customer-first organization, as evidenced by the highest Net Promoter Score in the industry. For more information, visit www.purestorage.com.