Activation Strategies

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

Activation Strategies are the intentional methods and tactics used to guide new or inactive partners toward becoming engaged, revenue-generating contributors within a partner program. These strategies are designed to remove barriers, spark momentum, and accelerate the time it takes for a partner to start delivering value through leads, deals, or referrals.

Key components of Activation Strategies often include:

  • Guided Onboarding: Step-by-step onboarding journeys that combine training, live demos, and goal-setting to ensure partners understand your offering and how to contribute.
  • Early Incentives: Rewards for hitting early milestones, such as submitting a first lead or co-hosting a webinar, can drive quicker engagement and reinforce partner motivation.
  • Targeted Communication: Segmented messaging and regular check-ins based on partner stage help maintain momentum and keep activation top of mind.
  • Enablement Resources: Providing access to curated sales materials, product one-pagers, and demo videos empowers partners to engage customers with confidence.
  • Performance Monitoring: Tracking early engagement metrics (like portal logins, lead submissions, or content usage) helps teams identify what strategies are working and where to adjust.

Activation Strategies are crucial in channel partnerships, SaaS ecosystems, and B2B sales programs where long partner lifecycles require early and intentional engagement. By investing in the right strategies up front, companies can turn passive sign-ups into active contributors, and reduce partner churn before it begins.

Example:
Their Q1 activation strategies included SPIFFs for the first closed deal and co-branded email templates.

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