Fredrik Mellander 🐝’s Post

99% of Partnerships leaders think they should spend all of their time on external partnerships. They're wrong. Multi-million dollar partner programs are built internally. Here's why: Partnerships is a team sport. It needs sales, marketing, product, CS, and executive support to succeed. When you build external partnerships you invest the time to understand the stakeholders, needs, goals, and motivations of your partner. Then you create incentives to align, and advance, your partner’s interests. This is how you motivate a partner to take action. Getting internal buy-in and support is no different. You’re asking people with completely different needs, goals, and motivations to take action on your behalf. Take the time and make the effort to partner with them successfully. Show Marketing you’ll give them access to more content, audience, and market exposure to build the brand and generate demand. Show Sales you’ll give them more pipeline, higher win rates, and bigger deals. Show CS you’ll give them engaged customers that spend more and churn less. Show Product you’ll get them stickier functionality, better data and feedback. Show the C-Suite you’ll do all of this while reducing CAC and increasing LTV. Either you’re selling your internal stakeholders on why Partnerships matters or they’re selling each other on why it doesn’t. Whether you realize it or not, you’re partnering internally. Act accordingly.

Ever thought about building a channel program that does more than just add revenue? One that really lasts? Starting my new role and focusing on building out a partner network has got me thinking: how do I approach creating a program, what do I prioritize, and what’s the reasoning behind each choice? Of course, revenue is the lifeline of any partnership—it's what leadership, boards, and ultimately the business rely on. But I’ve found that real success happens when partners see revenue as the outcome of delivering true value, not just the sole objective. Here’s what I think makes the difference: 🔎 Partners That Share Your ICP The right partner starts with a shared Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). When both sides are aligned on the same audience, the partnership delivers a seamless experience that goes beyond revenue and drives loyalty and retention. 🌐 Leverage Your Network I’ve realized how much value there is in leveraging existing connections from past roles or adjacent industries to build a strong partner network. The best partnerships are often one conversation away, and these connections can open doors to partners who already share our goals. 🤝 Bring Sales Teams into the Search Your sales team is on the ground, talking to prospects and customers daily—they often know who’s delivering solutions that play well in your ecosystem. Their perspective is critical for spotting high-potential partners who might fly under the radar but offer complementary value that could help you better serve the shared ICP and drive revenue. 🎯 Prioritize Reducing Customer Churn Alongside Revenue Goals Revenue may be the top metric, but retaining the customers you’ve worked hard to win is the real measure of a successful partnership. Partners committed to customer stickiness—not just quick sales—add long-term value and help keep churn low. Revenue isn’t just about acquisition; it’s about retention and growing relationships that keep customers coming back. 💬 Value the Partnership, Not Just the Revenue Each partner is an extension of your brand, not just another sales channel. Building mutual respect, celebrating wins, and valuing their contributions create a foundation of trust that can help both sides grow revenue sustainably. When everyone is focused on shared success, you end up with partnerships that last. What’s worked for you in building lasting partnerships? Let’s talk about it—drop your thoughts below! 👇 #channelstrategy #partnerships

Let us start with hashtags summary.... #partnerecosystem #partnerenablement #relationshipbuilding #datadriven #processdriven #internalalignment #customerexperience #customercentric In today's interconnected world, collaboration is key. Building a strong partner ecosystem is a first step to this belief. It is combined strengths that we poise bring significant impact. Building successful partnerships isn't just about sales tactics or flashy presentations. It's about cultivating genuine relationships, understanding mutual value, and creating exceptional experiences with the intent to help the partner and solve issues. Here are a few key lessons I've learned along the way: 1. Relationships over transactions: Real partnerships are built on trust and mutual respect. It's about understanding your partner's needs and aligning them with your own 2. Patience is a virtue: Building strong relationships takes time. Invest in understanding your partner's business and their goals 3. Partner Enablement, not sales enablement: Effective partner enablement is about providing the tools and resources your partners need to succeed, not pushing your own agenda 4. Quality over quantity: Focus on building a few strong, strategic partnerships rather than a large number of superficial ones 5. Data-driven decision making: Use data to track your progress, identify opportunities, and optimize your strategy 6. Process is key: A well-defined process can help you scale your partnerships and improve efficiency 7. Internal alignment is crucial: Ensure your internal teams are aligned with your partnership goals and are committed to supporting your partners 8. Partner experience matters: Every interaction with your partner should be positive and valuable. Always ask "What's in it for them?": Put yourself in your partner's shoes and consider their perspective By embracing these principles, you can build strong, long-lasting partnerships that drive growth and success. Data Power of Partnerships: A Forrester Consulting study found that companies with strong partner ecosystems achieve 2x faster revenue growth than those without. Forrester research on the value of partnerships This data highlights the significant performance advantage companies gain by prioritizing and nurturing strong partnerships. https://lnkd.in/gYFdJ_7g.

🌐 Can we do partnerships? This question often comes up for leaders. And while it's a valid question, it’s actually an easy one to answer. Yes, if you’ve achieved product-market fit. But there’s a second question—one that most leaders don’t ask themselves but should: Can we afford not to do partnerships? And the answer: Yes, only if… - You have nothing to offer partners. - None of your competitors are partnering up. Here’s the reality: 🔹 More and more data confirms the power of partnerships. A 2023 HubSpot Partner Report revealed that 71% (❗) of buyers reported that the 🥇 most 🥇 important factor in the purchasing decision was the opinion of their professional network or an advisor—whether it’s a consultant, agency, or similar actor. That insight alone should have companies leaping into partnerships with both feet! 🤝 Without partnerships, you’re competing against: 🔸 Co-selling: competitors expanding their knowledge on prospects, getting recommended and even re-sold. 🔸 Co-marketing: competitors getting more brand visibility and market validation. 🔸 Products & services coming together, bridging existing gaps and creating more cost-effective way than buy or build. ⌛ Now has to be the time: partnerships and partner value take time to build. Meaning that those who usually start first end up remaining ahead. The strength of partnerships has the potential to disrupt monopolies, leveling the playing field in ways we haven’t seen before. They’re as old as commerce itself, but only now are partnerships getting the tools and visibility to shine. No one is safe from the partnership ecosystem—and that’s a good thing. Exciting news coming up for Arenametrix on that topic. Stay tuned! #Partnerships #GrowthStrategy #BusinessDevelopment #PartnerEcosystem #ScalingUp #Partnerleaders #Affiliates #ChannelSales #Integrations

Your guide to succeeding in Partnerships 🚀 Here’s what you need to prioritize to make your partnerships thrive👇🏻 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐲-𝐈𝐧 🤝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Without the backing of your internal teams, whether it’s sales, marketing, or leadership... your partnerships won’t get the attention and resources they need. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭: → Align your goals with the company’s broader objectives. → Regularly communicate wins and progress to stakeholders. → Demonstrate how partnerships contributes with clear data 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐎𝐈 📈 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Without data you're blind, measuring the ROI is critical for proving your value. However, this requires you to have great processes and a solid tech stack. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭: → Implement partnership-specific tools that integrate with your existing systems, enabling precise tracking and reporting. → Align with rev-ops to ensure data consistency and avoid the pitfalls of disconnected systems. → Stop thinking about attribution as a zero-sum game and you'll be able to capture the full impact of your partnerships 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 🥇🥈🥉 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Not all partners will deliver the same value. Focusing on the right ones ensures your efforts are spent where they’ll have the most impact. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭: → Use data to identify which partners drive the most value and create a solid Ideal Partner Profile (IPP) → Regularly review partner performance and adjust your focus as needed. → Develop a clear strategy for engaging high-potential partners and breaking up with low-potential ones Success in partnerships isn’t just about building relationships it’s about strategic prioritization.

🚀 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞l 🚀 Partnerships are crucial for growth, but how do you ensure they’re delivering real value? This article by Partnership Leaders dives deep into the key metrics—from revenue and engagement to performance and health—that can transform your partner ecosystem. 🔑 Highlights: 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Identify top performers and track the financial impact of your partnerships. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Foster deeper relationships by monitoring activation rates and enablement sessions. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜s: Optimise your strategy by comparing partner led deals with direct channels. 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Maintain a thriving ecosystem by keeping an eye on partner satisfaction and churn rates. Turning these insights into action is the key to driving long-term success. Highly recommend giving it a read. #ParntnerSuccess #Partnerships #Growth #KPIs #Success

+2 new guides! 🎉 Our Learning Hub is growing with even more resources on partnerships—grab yours today and kickstart your collaborations! At PARTNER2B, we’re all about making partnerships easy. Our Learning Hub is packed with downloadable PDFs full of tips and insights to help you partner smarter and grow faster. Let’s take the mystery out of partnerships and help your business thrive! 🚀 What's Coming: ❓ Where to start with partnerships 🎯 Understanding your business goals Identifying potential partner profiles Initial partnership strategy development 🔢 Types of partnerships: Technology Partnerships Marketing Collaborations Referral Networks Strategic Alliances Integration Partnerships 🎁 Deep dive into partnership benefits Cost-effective market expansion Accelerated lead generation Enhanced brand credibility Innovation through collaboration Risk mitigation strategies These aren't just guides – they’re your roadmap to partnership success. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your strategy, we’re building resources to help you every step of the way. Stay tuned for practical, in-depth guides designed to transform the way you think about business partnerships! Big thanks to Elena Zapolyanskaya, partnerships expert at PARTNER2B, for all your hard work in making this happen! 🙌

So many organizations think partnerships are the easiest way to solve growth problems, but partnerships are not a growth hack or a band-aid. They need as much enthusiasm and dedicated investment as our marketing and selling efforts do. Gaining and cultivating prosperous partnerships is a continuous process that demands patience and time. To set up the partnership flywheel you'll need the following: 1. Clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) -Partner sourced revenue -Number of new customers achieved via partnerships -Number of integrations and retention revenue 2. Executive Buy-in -There's allocated budget for partner marketing, partner operations, partner technology -Somebody with a seat at the table is advocating with partnership strategy -Executives are frequently meeting with partner executives 3. Operational Processes That Scale -Standardized partner onboarding procedures - Automated reporting systems are used to monitor partnership performance -Clear communication channels carry information between partners and internal teams -Partnership review meetings and optimization occur on a regular basis -Enablement isn't just frequent, it's ongoing, relevant, and timely You should definitely check out Antonio Caridad, Cory Snyder, and Aaron Howerton to see how folks are doing this in their day to day.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲? Do you find yourself constantly onboarding new partners, only to see them disappear after a single collaboration? This common challenge can disrupt the growth and effectiveness of your partnership program. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 • Definition: Count how many partners have provided just one opportunity in the past year—and compare it to the previous year. • Significance: Identifying "one-and-done" partners, who don't engage beyond the initial opportunity, can reveal crucial insights into your engagement strategies. 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨: 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘻𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱—𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦-𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: Should you focus on nurturing a few strategic partnerships or expand your efforts to build a vast referral network? This decision can define the trajectory of your partnership growth. 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀: • Close Rates: Are your partnerships effectively leading to closed deals? • Average Deal Sizes: What is the typical revenue impact of deals through your partners? • Sales Cycle Length: How efficient are these partnership-driven sales processes? 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁: Evaluate these metrics across both strategic partners and broader referral networks. Assess how your available resources can best be allocated to optimize these relationships. What strategies have you found effective in keeping partners engaged long-term? Share your experiences in the comments, or tag a peer who could benefit from this discussion! #partnerships #gtm #growth

👋 If your partnership team is struggling, you're not alone. 👋 The state of the Partnership Leaders report shows over half of teams missed goals last year, largely due to poor internal communication and alignment. 💔 Most companies use a CRM, PRM software or spreadsheets to manage partnerships. But none provide true visibility or centralization across teams like sales, customer success, marketing and product. Partnership teams end up operating in silos, manually integrating with company operations 😰. This results in a lack of visibility and alignment that hurts partnerships. If this sounds familiar, it's time for a change. Partnership teams need a platform that provides a centralized place to manage all partnerships in one place. It connects partners, teams and data across your company, giving you a single source of truth for your partnerships. With visibility into the full partnership workflows, teams can seamlessly work together. 🤩 The future of partnerships is connected teams, unified data, and scaled impact! 💫