| name | partnership-strategy |
| description | Build a partnership program — partner types, recruitment, enablement, co-marketing, revenue share models. Triggers on: "partnership strategy", "partner program", "channel partnerships", "build partnerships". |
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | Claude Code, Jesse, Codex, Hermes, Windsurf, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Zed, VS Code, Goose |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","author":"LeadMagic","category":"partnerships","tags":["partnerships","partner-program","channel","co-marketing","alliances"],"frameworks":["Partnership Ecosystem Framework","Crossbeam Partner-Led Growth","Crossbeam — Ecosystem-Led Growth"],"related_skills":["partner-programs","co-marketing","integration-partnerships","channel-partnerships","sales-enablement"]} |
Partnership Strategy
Overview
Partnerships are the most underleveraged GTM channel in B2B SaaS. A well-run
partner program can generate 20-40% of pipeline at near-zero CAC. But "partnerships"
means different things at different stages — this skill covers the full ecosystem.
Authoritative Foundations
- Partnership Ecosystem Framework — Named methodology governing recommendations in this skill's process.
- Crossbeam Partner-Led Growth — Named methodology governing recommendations in this skill's process.
- Crossbeam — Ecosystem-Led Growth — Ecosystem-Led Growth
When to Use
- "Build a partner program"
- "Partnership strategy"
- "Channel partner program"
- "Partner-led growth"
Step-by-Step Process
Phase 1: Partner Type Selection
- Integration partners: Your product integrates with theirs. Co-marketing,
co-selling. Easiest to start. "Customers who use [Partner] + [You] get [value]."
- Referral partners: Agencies, consultants, freelancers who recommend tools.
Pay % of first-year revenue. Low-touch to manage.
- Reseller partners: Sell your product to their customers. White-label or
co-branded. Higher touch, higher revenue share (20-40%).
- Technology partners: Complementary (not competitive) tools. Shared customer
base. Joint roadmap, deep integration.
- Strategic alliances: Enterprise partnerships. Exclusive. Long sales cycle
to set up, massive payoff.
Phase 2: Partner Recruitment
- Ideal Partner Profile (IPP): Who has your ICP before you do? Agencies,
consultants, complementary tools, industry associations.
- Outbound recruitment: "Your clients ask you about [problem] — we solve it.
Let's build a referral relationship."
- Inbound recruitment: Partner page on your website, partner application form,
promote in your network.
- Customer → Partner: Your power users often become your best partners.
Phase 3: Partner Enablement
- Partner portal: Deal registration, training materials, co-branded assets,
pipeline tracking
- Certification: Product certification program. Certified partners get higher
commissions and better leads.
- Sales playbook: How to position your product, who to sell to, objection
handling, demo script
- Co-marketing: Joint webinars, co-branded case studies, shared booth at events
Phase 4: Partner Economics
- Referral: 10-20% of first-year revenue
- Reseller: 20-40% margin, partner handles first-line support
- Agency/Consultant: Monthly retainer + % of influenced revenue
- Strategic: Custom deal, equity possible at early stage
- Key metric: Partner-sourced pipeline as % of total. Target: 20-30% by year 2.
Phase 5: Partner Management
- Tier system: Silver → Gold → Platinum based on revenue influenced
- QBRs: Quarterly business reviews with top 20% of partners
- Partner success manager: Dedicated person at 30+ active partners
- Kill criteria: Partners who refer 0 deals in 6 months → re-evaluate or remove
Output Format
Partnership strategy document with: partner types and tiers, IPP definition,
recruitment plan, enablement program, economics model, and management framework.
Quality Check
Before delivering, verify:
Common Pitfalls
- Skipping research. Building output without understanding the specific context. Fix: always gather required inputs before producing deliverables.
- Generic output. "Improve your process" without concrete steps. Fix: every recommendation must include a specific action, timeline, and owner.
- Missing framework citations. Advice without named authorities. Fix: ground every recommendation in a cited framework from a recognized authority.
Execution Artifacts
references/framework-notes.md — named frameworks, citation anchors, and operating assumptionstemplates/output-template.md — copy-paste deliverable structure for the userscripts/check-output.py — local checklist validator for required sections
This skill includes lightweight artifacts the agent can load on demand:
Use the artifacts when the user asks for an implementation-ready deliverable, a repeatable workflow, or a quality check rather than generic advice.
Implementation Depth
Use this section when the user asks for a finished asset, not a high-level explanation.
Diagnostic Questions
- What is the primary motion: founder-led, sales-led, product-led, partner-led, or lifecycle-led?
- Which ICP tier is the output for: small business, mid-market, enterprise, or mixed?
- What proof is available today: customer stories, usage data, third-party validation, screenshots, or none?
- What system will execute the work: CRM, sequencer, warehouse, support desk, product analytics, or manual workflow?
- What decision will the user make from this output: launch, prioritize, route, rewrite, score, coach, or measure?
Framework Application
Map the recommendation explicitly to the named frameworks in this skill:
- Partnership Ecosystem Framework: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Crossbeam Partner-Led Growth: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Crossbeam — Ecosystem-Led Growth: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
Deliverable Standard
A strong output from this skill includes:
- A crisp diagnosis of the current situation
- A recommended path with tradeoffs, not a generic list
- A concrete artifact the user can use immediately: table, script, checklist, scorecard, sequence, dashboard spec, or implementation plan
- A measurement plan with leading and lagging indicators
- Risks and edge cases called out before execution
Adaptation Rules
- For small business: reduce complexity, shorten time-to-value, and prioritize owner/operator clarity.
- For mid-market: include workflow ownership, handoffs, integrations, and enablement assets.
- For enterprise: include governance, risk, procurement, stakeholder mapping, and proof requirements.
Related Skills
- partner-programs, co-marketing, integration-partnerships, channel-partnerships, sales-enablement
