Partnership Glossary

Comparing and aligning customer or prospect data between your company and a partner to uncover shared opportunities and prevent duplicated efforts.

A step-by-step roadmap for enabling a new partner to start contributing to your pipeline. It includes training, milestone tracking, and resource access.

The percentage of newly onboarded partners who begin contributing value (e.g., leads, revenue) within a set time period.

The percentage of newly onboarded partners who begin contributing value (e.g., leads, revenue) within a set time period.

The process of identifying and crediting affiliates for conversions using tools like tracking cookies or unique URLs.

A unique URL assigned to an affiliate partner that tracks clicks and conversions for accurate commission tracking.

A performance-based marketing strategy where external partners promote a product in exchange for commissions.

Structured initiatives that manage affiliate relationships, track performance, and handle payouts and communications.

A platform or group that connects businesses with affiliate marketers and helps manage tracking, links, and payments.

An individual or organization that promotes your offering via affiliate links to earn commission on leads or sales.

A formal structure where affiliates are recruited, enabled, and rewarded for referring customers or traffic.

The technology used to attribute traffic and sales to specific affiliate partners, typically using links, cookies, or promo codes.

A strategic, mutually beneficial partnership often focused on joint solutions, co-selling, or shared marketing.

A cooperative initiative between two business entities to share resources, audiences, or expertise.

The activities and interactions that drive business interest and partnership performance between two B2B entities.

Strategic collaborations between two businesses to co-sell, cross-promote, or integrate solutions for mutual growth.

The process of identifying, attracting, and growing business opportunities, often through partnerships, alliances, or new market exploration.

A semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer, used to align marketing and partnership strategies.

The process of getting newly recruited partners ready and engaged in sales activities, often involving onboarding, training, and incentives.

A method for crediting revenue or leads to a specific partner or channel touchpoint in multi-channel environments.

Occurs when multiple sales routes, such as internal teams and partners, compete for the same customer, leading to tension or lost trust.

A role focused on identifying, recruiting, and supporting channel partners to expand a company’s indirect sales reach.

Promotional and awareness activities executed through or with partners, including co-branded campaigns, training, and content syndication.

A marketing approach that combines two brands on materials or offerings to boost credibility and joint appeal.

Collaborative marketing between two or more companies to promote each other’s services or a combined offering.

Tactics used by two companies to jointly promote offerings, webinars, social campaigns, or content, toward a shared target audience.

Contracts outlining how two or more companies will collaborate on shared goals, often including marketing, technology integration, or resource pooling.

A strategy where a message or campaign is shared across multiple marketing channels, like email, social media, and events, to create consistent messaging.

A mutual agreement where partners promote each other's products or content to their respective audiences to boost exposure and lead generation.

Selling an additional product or service to an existing customer, often by bundling offerings from partners.

The process of gaining new customers, often driven or supported by partners through co-selling, referrals, or campaigns.

A structured reward system designed to retain customers and encourage repeat purchases can be delivered directly or via partners.

Technology platforms or strategies used to manage a company’s interactions with current and prospective customers. Often integrated into PRMs.

Indicators like retention rate, Net Promoter Score (NPS), or time-to-value used to evaluate post-sale partner performance.

An internal support function for partners that reviews and approves special pricing, legal terms, and deal structuring.

A formal notification by a partner to claim a sales opportunity, often granting protection or exclusive incentives.

The pathway where sales are made directly by the company without any partner or intermediary involvement.

Agreements with distributors who manage logistics, procurement, and local partner engagement at scale.

A financial safety net that gives partners upfront funds or guarantees while they ramp up sales efforts.

A network of interconnected companies, such as resellers, ISVs, distributors, service providers, and technology partners, that collaborate to deliver greater value to shared customers through integrated offerings, co-selling, and co-marketing.

A partner that complements or integrates with your product within a broader tech or services environment.

Sales and training tools, like pitch decks, demo videos, or FAQs, provided to help partners understand and sell your product.

A structured sequence of training and resource access designed to make partners productive and self-sufficient.

An agreement granting a partner sole access to sell your product in a certain market or segment, often in exchange for commitment or volume.

Revenue from existing customers through renewals, upsells, or cross-sellsl, sometimes generated through service or consulting partners.

A standard, non-tiered payment given to partners per transaction or referred customer.

A partner who delivers or implements your product post-sale, ensuring the customer achieves value quickly.

A coordinated plan for launching or expanding a product through sales, marketing, and partner channels.

A detailed description of the type of company that would benefit most from your solution. ICPs guide partner targeting, sales messaging, and marketing efforts.

A set of characteristics defining the best-fit partner for your program, including size, industry, business model, and go-to-market alignment.