How to Choose the Right Salesforce Partner for Marketing

Let’s cut straight to the chase and say that not all Salesforce consultants are equal. 

While anyone can label themselves a ‘Salesforce expert’, only those listed as certified Salesforce Partners have been vetted and endorsed by Salesforce itself. This distinction matters. It’s the difference between working with a trusted partner who knows Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, or Data Cloud inside out, versus hiring someone who could be figuring it out as they go.

What’s more, CRM and marketing operations are entirely different disciplines. Enterprise marketing teams need more than technical support from a standard Salesforce Partner. You need marketing automation strategists, too. 

When your chosen partner is an expert in both marketing and the technology that supports it, the overall experience is enhanced. You get tactical and strategic guidance, resulting in better ROI.

All this being said, let’s break down what a Salesforce Partner is, why the badge matters, and how to confidently select the right provider for your business.

To help you choose, I’ll break down what a Salesforce Partner actually is, why the badge matters, and how to confidently choose the right provider for your business. Whether you’re preparing for Marketing Cloud implementation, optimising a mature setup, or somewhere in between, this guide is for you.

A Salesforce Partner is a business officially recognised by Salesforce for its expertise and track record of delivering results with Salesforce products.

To become a certified partner, a consultancy must:

• Employ staff with up-to-date Salesforce certifications

• Demonstrate successful project delivery and customer satisfaction

• Align with Salesforce’s partner program requirements

Partners are also categorised by tiers - Ridge, Crest, and Summit - based on factors like certifications, client success, and product specialisation.

This badge of approval means that Salesforce trusts the partner to implement, optimise, and support its technology in line with best practices. It’s your assurance that the people you’re working with are held to consistent standards, not just marketing themselves with buzzwords.

Without this backing, any consultant or agency can claim Salesforce knowledge, but there’s no formal accountability or vetting process. Which is a risk for your business.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a powerful platform, but its products are not plug-and-play. From data extensions and dynamic content in Marketing Cloud Engagement, to automation rules and API integrations in Account Engagement (Pardot), there’s a lot to set up, and a lot that can go wrong.

Even if your internal team has experience using Marketing Cloud, chances are they’re already stretched. Adding a platform integration or a new feature rollout to their plate may delay campaigns or lead to mistakes that cost you later.

Here’s why bringing in a certified partner sooner rather than later makes sense:

• Faster execution: You don’t waste months figuring out what works. An experienced partner knows what to do and how to do it quickly.

• Strategic support: If your partner has both marketing and CRM knowledge, they’ll do more than complete tasks - they’ll give proactive recommendations.

• Better results: With the right setup, your campaigns run smoother, target more precisely, and convert better.

• Clearer ROI: Partners can build dashboards and reporting structures that give you tangible proof of marketing impact.

• Stronger case for budget: When ROI is clear, it’s easier to justify new spend or team expansion to leadership.

In short, a Salesforce Partner lets you move from reactive or piecemeal to strategic and consistent, without burning out your internal team.

Not all support is of the same standard. Working with a certified partner offers advantages you won’t necessarily get from a freelancer or generalist agency.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Platform expertise: Certified partners understand the nuances of Marketing Cloud - how the pieces fit together, where platform pitfalls lie, and what makes the difference between a functioning setup and a future-proof one.

• Strategic input: Beyond execution, a good partner will challenge assumptions, suggest better ways to structure journeys and spot opportunities to streamline or scale. For the record, many Salesforce Partners aren’t marketing pros, but teams like MarCloud specialise in the tech and marketing automation strategy.

• Cross-team collaboration: They’ll work with your data, sales, and IT teams to ensure alignment and smooth integration.

• Ongoing optimisation: Your marketing automation is never ‘done’. A partner can help you test, refine, and evolve campaigns over time.

Most importantly, they’ll translate technical details into marketing outcomes, so you can connect the dots between strategy, execution, and results.

At the bare minimum, a good Salesforce Partner should provide:

• A structured onboarding and discovery process

• Documentation that outlines what’s being done and why

• Access to a dedicated team with real, relevant certifications

• Visibility over timelines, budgets, and scope

• Flexible engagement models, whether project-based, retained, or hybrid

But it’s the extras that separate good partners from great. For example:

• Are they experienced marketers, not simply CRM and tech teams?

• Will they proactively suggest ways to optimise your setup?

• Are they transparent about limitations or trade-offs?

• Can they adapt to your internal processes and team structures?

MarCloud offers Salesforce audits for all new clients, which gives both sides a chance to experience working together without risk. 

A partner isn’t there to take over your job. They’re there to amplify your work, reduce stress, and add momentum, so you can smash your targets and impress the board.

With so many options available, how do you cut through the noise? Here’s a checklist to help:

1. Are they listed as a certified Salesforce Partner?

This is non-negotiable. Use Salesforce’s Partner Finder to verify their status.

2. Do they have relevant Marketing Cloud case studies?

Look for real client results that show they’ve solved challenges similar to yours. For example, MarCloud has generated 17,650% ROI and over £5 million in revenue for Bruntwood.

3. Are their consultants certified in Marketing Cloud and other tools?

It’s worth checking whether they have credentials in areas like Journey Builder, Automation Studio, and related products such as Data Cloud.

4. How do they measure success?

Do they report on campaign outcomes? Customer journeys? Data quality? If they can’t tell you how they track value, and particularly if they can’t tie activities to ROI, keep looking.

5. What’s their working style?

Do they align with your pace and preferred way of working i.e. fast and agile, or more structured and process-driven? Do they have transparent project management?

6. Do they offer more than technical support?

Many Salesforce Partners excel in CRM or technical tasks, but most aren’t marketing professionals. For enterprise marketing teams, you want both. This means that any activities are assessed from an experienced marketing perspective for better results.

Common mistakes to avoid

Having been a Salesforce Partner since 2018, we’ve seen some teams get stuck on:

• Assuming all Salesforce consultants are certified

• Choosing based on price rather than value or fit

• Overlooking the need for industry-specific experience

• Engaging on a one-off basis with no plan for long-term support

• Underestimating the need for clear communication and shared goals

• Assuming CRM and marketing consultants are one and the same

A bit of upfront diligence goes a long way. It saves time, budget, and frustration later on. In multiple cases, we’ve supported businesses that have been burned by previous supposed experts. Let’s not have that happen to you!

How to know when you’ve found the right fit

There’s no single profile for the perfect partner, but here are a few green flags:

• They ask the right questions early on - not just about tech, but about tangible business objectives and long-term marketing strategies.

• They explain complex topics and platform jargon in plain terms.

• They share recommendations backed by experience, not just opinion.

• They bring a sense of calm and clarity to what might otherwise feel overwhelming.

Ultimately, they should leave you thinking, “This is exactly what we needed.”

Still deciding? Here’s what to do next

If you’re not ready to commit but you have a shortlist of Salesforce Partners in mind, here’s how to test the waters:

1. Use the Salesforce AppExchange to check the reviews for your shortlist.

2. Arrange intro calls and ask about relevant projects, certifications, and project management approach.

3. Enquire about free audits or commission a small discovery project to give you a feel for how they work.

4. Align internally on what success looks like and what level of support you need.

This process will give you confidence in your choice and set you up for a more productive partnership.

Is MarCloud your ideal Salesforce Partner?

Choosing a Salesforce Partner is more than a technical decision. It’s about finding a strategic ally who understands what marketing teams are up against and knows how to make Marketing Cloud work harder for you - tactically and strategically.

At MarCloud, we use top-tier technical experience combined with excellent marketing knowledge to remove technical blockers, scale campaigns, and demonstrate ROI. As a certified Salesforce Partner and experienced marketers, we know how to make Marketing Cloud serve your goals. Request a free audit today.