Decoding how AWS sellers and partners collaborate to scale Marketplace growth and win enterprise deals
Imagine you’re selling bottled water inside a massive stadium.
You could try yelling from the stands, hoping someone walks up.
Or, you could get the stadium announcer to say, “This is the water to drink.”
That’s what it feels like when AWS sales teams are aligned with your Marketplace listing and GTM content.
You’re no longer just another vendor. You’re part of the AWS recommendation engine.
Why AWS Sellers Actually Care About Marketplace-Ready Partners
AWS Account Managers, Solution Architects, and Partner Managers are all tasked with helping their customers succeed inside AWS.
That includes finding the right third-party solutions to solve:
- Security gaps
- Data pipeline challenges
- DevOps inefficiencies
- AI/ML deployment needs
So when your solution:
- Solves a real problem
- Runs natively on AWS
- Is validated through FTR
- Can be transacted via AWS Marketplace
…it makes their job easier and helps them hit quota.
Here’s why AWS sellers love Marketplace listings:
| Seller Incentive | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| 🧾 Quota Credit | Marketplace transactions count toward AWS sales targets |
| 💸 Budget Flexibility | Buyers can use committed spend (EDP) to purchase |
| 🔒 Trusted Vendor | FTR + Competency = built-in technical trust |
| 🤝 Lower Friction | Procurement is streamlined—no new vendor onboarding needed |
When your product checks those boxes, AWS sellers become incentivized advocates.
How AWS Sellers Actually Engage With Your Solution
Once you’re FTR-validated, Co-Sell ready, and listed properly, here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- AWS Account Managers identify customer needs.
They’re in daily conversations with enterprise clients who need tools, platforms, and integrations. - They reference the AWS Partner directory.
If you’ve got the right listing, Competency badge, and use-case alignment—you show up. - They use your content to pitch your solution.
Your one-pager, solution brief, architecture diagram, and case study become their sales toolkit. - They transact through Marketplace.
AWS handles billing. The customer feels safe. And the deal gets done faster.
Just like that, you’ve gained a highly motivated extension of your sales team.
The Power of Co-Sell Alignment
If you’re not Co-Sell ready?
You’re a name in a catalog.
If you are Co-Sell ready?
You’re on the short list for every relevant enterprise deal in your domain.
AWS sellers are trained to prioritize solutions that:
- Are technically sound (via FTR)
- Have a clear deployment model (SaaS, AMI, container, etc.)
- Offer buyer-aligned messaging
- Come with enablement assets that make the seller look good
When you’ve got all that in place, AWS reps don’t just know about you—they recommend you.
Why Most Vendors Miss Out
A common mistake?
Assuming that once you’re listed, AWS will automatically start selling for you.
But here’s the reality:
AWS sales teams are overloaded. They only push solutions that make them look smart and close deals faster.
That means you must be:
- FTR-approved
- Co-Sell registered in ACE
- Competency-certified (where applicable)
- Easy to explain with pre-built sales content
- Fast to deploy for the buyer
If you’re missing even one of those? You’re likely invisible.
What AWS Sellers Need From You
| Asset | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Solution One-Pager | To explain who you are and who you serve |
| Architecture Diagram | To show deployment readiness |
| Use Case Case Study | To build credibility with similar buyers |
| Deployment Guide | To reduce friction during onboarding |
| Co-Sell Registration | So AWS can log deals and track you in ACE |
Without these, you’re unpitchable.
With them, you’re plug-and-play.
Final Word: AWS Is a Sales Channel, If You Build for It
AWS is the most powerful GTM channel for cloud-native products.
But it’s not passive.
You have to show up prepared, with the right documentation, the right messaging, and the right enablement content.
When you do, you give AWS every reason to bring your product into more rooms, more RFPs, and more enterprise accounts.
Want AWS reps to start pitching your solution?
