Most partner programs fail, because they value an arbitrary revenue number above true product expertise.

Don't be like them.

I consider partner programs as the most impactful GTM motion there is. Forget inbound, PLG and founder sales if you can get this one right.

Amazing businesses like @Klaviyo, @Clay and @HubSpot have engraved powerful partnership motions into their backbone, but there are way more cases where it just doesn't seem to click.

Seeing dozens of businesses with those motions - no matter if referral, co-selling or channel partner - has two patterns repeat.

1️⃣ It's lacking the love. Partnerships often play second team and the lack of true dedication to that motion has it stalling, primarily collecting rolling eyes from the executive team.

2️⃣ It's an arbitrary revenue tiering along Bronze, Silver, Gold with some "benefits" as you progress. All the grease we are putting into our direct motions in stark contrast to the ingenuity we are putting in here.

Here are 4 ideas which I see outstanding businesses repeat.

📌 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶

Focus on the actual value add for your partner. Most programs lead through expectations to the partner. Help your partners understand the impact on their revenue, brand, competitive moat and market position by working with you.

📌 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭

Stop measuring partner success by revenue alone. Deep expertise and excellent customer experience truly matter. Does each consultant go through your online certification? Can they truly wear the certified batch in industry, product and educational knowledge?

Making things slightly harder climbing through the ranks next to pure revenue focus might be a boost, not a burden.

📌 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

Don't lock value behind high tiers. Enable every partner to co-market with you. Be on stage, publish research papers, take a stand and be true experts in your field - as a unit. The more partners you are involving in this process, the wider the reach of your story, the more acceleration for your partners, the more... you get the idea.

📌 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

There's lots of flat percentage models - again based on generated revenue. Differentiate initial referral payments from the ongoing support you are willing to give to partners while actively managing part of your customer base (e.g. long tail segment of low ARR customers)

Partnerships should be about more than logos and revenue targets. They should drive mutual growth, deliver better customer outcomes, and foster long-term trust.