Fredrik Mellander 🐝’s Post

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.

I built a partnerships team from 1 → 15 people worldwide. Data was the number #1 thing that made that possible. If I had to do it again this is how I would do it: 1. Start with revenue. Always. New revenue generated should be your north star. It justifies your existence by taking you from a cost center to a revenue generator 2. Partner-influenced revenue. Show the total value you're driving WITH partners, not just FROM them. This helps expand the value you and your partners are bringing to all revenue conversations 3. Measure partner efficiency. Start tracking ACV, Deal Velocity, CAC and LTV:CAC ratios for partner-sourced deals vs. direct sales. Once you're able to prove that deals from partners are better deals from a financial perspective then you'll get a lot more buy-in 4. Partner activation rates. What percentage of your partners are actively engaging and driving results? This helps you justify the need for further resources if you can improve the activation rate from 10 -> 20% that's often a significant increase in revenue 5. Measure retention rates & adoption metrics - Are partner-sourced customers stickier? - Are customers using more of your product when partners are involved? This is where you need to get CSM involved and something you can only track after a while, but once you have the new revenue metrics locked down then look at how your partners help improve value for existing customers 6. Track cross-functional alignment. How many internal teams are actively engaging with partners? Partnerships can't exist in a vacuum, and you need the entire organization to be onboard, once you can prove positive metrics for new & existing customers then you should work on getting the entire organization involved The goal isn't just to measure for the sake of measuring. It's about proving value, driving alignment, and continuously improving your program. Start with these, but don't be afraid to get creative. The best KPIs are often unique to your business and strategy. Just make sure they're tied to real business outcomes. And if you're struggling to get buy-in, remember: data is your best friend in partnerships. Use it wisely, and you'll never have to justify your existence again. What would you add?

We’ve all heard it before: “Partnerships are the key to growth!” Alright, but let’s be real—how often do partnerships fail because they were rushed or mismatched? 🤔 The truth is, it happens more often than we’d like to admit. Here’s what I’ve learned from working in lead generation and partnerships -> Great partnerships aren’t about quick wins—they’re about shared wins. Here are five ways to make your partnerships truly impactful: 1️⃣ Know Your Value (and Theirs): Partnerships thrive when both sides bring something meaningful to the table. Understand not just what you want, but what your partner needs to succeed, too. 2️⃣ Start with Alignment, Not Just Opportunity: A big name or impressive reach doesn’t guarantee success. Are your goals aligned? Do your audiences or customers overlap? Long-term success requires synergy, not just excitement. 3️⃣ Be Ready to Give Before You Get: Partnerships are strongest when you lead with value. Ask yourself: How can I help them solve a problem or achieve their goals? 4️⃣ Clear Expectations = Less Friction: Define everything upfront: timelines, responsibilities, and what success looks like for BOTH sides. Misaligned expectations are the fastest way to erode trust. 5️⃣ Measure and Adapt Together: Successful partnerships aren’t “set it and forget it.” Regular check-ins, shared insights, and agility in adapting goals keep the relationship productive and alive. Here’s my favourite metaphor, as a fan of gardening: Building partnerships is like growing a garden—it takes effort, trust, and time. 🌱 At times, it can feel frustrating—you water, you nurture, but you’re unsure if it’ll bear fruit. But with consistent care and patience, the results can be truly beautiful. (Image generated using AI tools)

+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! 🙌

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤. Over the past few years, I’ve been deeply involved in building and running partnership programs, and here’s what I’ve learned: Building a successful nearbound approach involves 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, and the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. At the heart of any partnership program is making sure your partners have the best experience. This includes everything from a 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 to 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, where you give them the tools, resources, and training they need to succeed. It’s also important to have a 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. This way, every partner understands the specific benefits of working with your business, making the collaboration much smoother. When partners feel supported, they’re more likely to deliver results. Here’s why nearbound works: - Leverage trusted relationships—partners, customers, and even competitors. Expand your market reach—without needing to grow your sales team. - Boost your value proposition—65% of companies say partnerships are essential for future growth. - Cost-effective growth—50% of businesses say over 26% of their revenue comes from partnerships (HubSpot 2022). According to IDC, companies that prioritize ecosystems grow 50% faster than those without a strategy. Curious about how nearbound can drive your growth? I wrote a detailed guide--link in comments.

Last week I was a guest speaker at Attacama’s Partnerships Team Offsite. All of their key questions boiled down to one critical focus: ALIGNMENT. Here were the top 6 (and my answers): 1. “What are some tips for activating new partners?” If you align on your process and goals early, it will be very clear how to activate a partnership. Sometimes it’s just following the steps of the process. Sometimes it’s bringing them a piece of business to kick things off. If you don’t align you won’t know. 2. “Any recommendations on managing partners for success?” Once you’ve built the relationship and set goals, staying aligned through consistent and open communication is the best way to manage partners. Keep them updated in as many ways as possible and do QBRs to reset on goals. 3. “How do you build partnerships that last?” Just like any relationship, partnerships that are built on a foundation of mutual trust and similar goals outlast the rest. Aligning early can establish both of these, and staying aligned can maintain them. 4. “What’s the easiest way to triangulate deals with partners?” Aligning on target and pipeline data, through account mapping and consistent communication, makes it easy to triangulate deals so there’s no need for a last minute Hail Mary. 5. “How do you garner cross-functional support internally?” Aligning with cross-functional leaders and reps is as critical internally as it is externally. Just as with external partners, always think about “what’s in it for them?” And keep them updated on it. 6. “What’s the secret to converting one-off referrals to lasting partnerships?” The moment someone sends you a referral, that is your signal to find out exactly why they did it and what you can do to make it happen consistently. Alignment is the most powerful and important tool when building a partner program. It can either be your cheat code for success, or your Achilles’ heel. Thanks for having me Jessica Goulart, you have a great team and I'm excited to see you all kill it!

🌟 Looking to boost your business and reach new heights? 🚀 Dive into the power of strategic partnerships! 🤝 Imagine the possibilities when two businesses join forces, combining resources and expertise for mutual growth. From Atlassian to Hubspot, successful partnerships are changing the game in small business support. 🔍 Explore the article on strategic partnerships for insights on: - The essence of strategic partnership - Why they matter for business growth - Tips for creating and nurturing successful collaborations - Real-life success stories like Salesforce & Google, and Shopify & Facebook - How to identify, structure, and measure success in partnerships In a world where collaboration is key, strategic partnerships can be your secret weapon. Ready to take your business to the next level with strategic allies? 💡 https://lnkd.in/gnK5xVSr

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹 💡 Over the past 15+ years, I've seen it all - countless partnerships that thrive and many that fall short. While it's easy to focus on the wins, the 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 often offer the most valuable lessons for growth. Here are a few key reasons partnerships fail (and how to avoid them): 𝟭. 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 - I've found that nearly 100% of failed partnerships were negotiated by teams who lacked true partnership expertise. Why? Because forming, managing, and scaling partnerships requires a unique set of skills - skills that go beyond sales or product knowledge. Partnership management is a discipline in itself. ⚖️ 𝟮. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 - It's tempting to rush toward closing a deal, but ignoring misalignment between partners can create long-term friction. Just like in personal relationships, ignoring the red flags early on leads to bigger issues later. Are both sides equally committed to delivering on promises? 🤔 𝟯. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 - A partnership doesn't end once the ink dries. Effective management post-signing is essential for success. Partnerships require continuous nurturing, regular check-ins, and proactive problem-solving. It's not a "set it and forget it" situation. 🔄 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗢𝗻:   • Are partnerships being treated as a side project or are they given dedicated focus?   • Are you being honest with your partner about the effort required to make the collaboration successful?   • Do you have the right team in place to manage the partnership long-term? If any of these challenges resonate with you, Evolve Growth Partners can help you navigate and optimize your B2B partnerships. Let's connect! Reach out today to explore how we can build stronger, more successful partnerships together. 🚀 #B2BPartnerships #BusinessGrowth #StrategicPartnerships #PartnershipManagement #Growth

"I recently heard that people in partnerships complain too much. And I couldn’t agree more, because we’re constantly having to defend our jobs internally and externally, lobby for budget and time and mindshare within organizational strategic goals, fight off competitors in our partner ecosystem, and constantly fight the every distractible sales teams who we work with or employ. Oh wait, I’m sorry, was I complaining again?" 🙋♂️ This week I'm committing to solving problems for my clients with partners, not saying the same thing everyone else is saying about the challenges we face. There's more than enough challenges. Let's work on creating solutions. #solvingproblemsthroughpartners #solutions #partnershipmanagement #partnerenablement #partnerships https://lnkd.in/gQBvYFFZ