Partner Lifecycle

What is the partner lifecycle?

The partner lifecycle refers to the various stages in the relationship between a company and its partners, from initial recruitment to ongoing engagement and collaboration. It typically includes the following stages:

• Recruitment: The process of identifying and bringing new partners into your partner ecosystem. This involves identifying potential partners, evaluating their suitability, and formalizing agreements.
• Onboarding: After recruitment, partners undergo an onboarding process. During this stage, they receive training on your company’s products, services, processes, and brand values. They also gain access to necessary resources and support.
• Enablement: This phase focuses on equipping your partners with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to effectively market, sell, and support your offerings. It includes ongoing training, access to sales and marketing collateral, and technical support.
• Engagement: Partners actively engage with your company’s ecosystem, such as participating in joint marketing efforts, collaborating on sales strategies, and leveraging co-branded materials to promote products or services.
• Sales growth: Partners start selling the company’s products or services to customers. This stage involves lead generation, sales execution, and achieving revenue targets. Partners may also identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
• Performance evaluation: You’ll assess partner performance regularly, measuring against predefined key performance indicators (KPIs), giving partners feedback on their performance and areas for improvement.
• Optimization: You’ll work with partners to optimize strategies, processes, and collaboration efforts. This stage aims to enhance the partnership’s effectiveness and drive better results.
• Expansion: Successful partners may have opportunities to expand their roles or territories, explore new markets, target different customer segments, or offer additional products and services.
• Long-term growth: Even after the initial lifecycle, you’ll continue to nurture relationships with partners who have proven their value. This includes ongoing support, collaboration, and strategic planning.

The partner lifecycle is not strictly linear, as your partners may cycle through these stages multiple times, especially in long-term partnerships. Successfully managing the partner lifecycle is essential for building strong, mutually beneficial relationships and achieving business goals through your partner ecosystem.

Related content:

Your Partner Journey Map Template | Partner Ecosystem Mapping | Partner Lifecycle Management | Partner Scoring | Impartner Partner Relationship Management