Partner Network Canvas · Method
Nine decisions, in this order, for a partner network that sells.
Most vendors sign partners before they decide what the partners are for. Then the partners do not sell. The Partner Network Canvas puts the nine decisions on one page, in the order a CEO and a CRO must take them.
- Format
- 1 page
- PDF, to print and fill in with your team
- Decisions
- 9
- Choose, engage, execute
- Price
- Free, sent to your business email
Nine decisions, in this order
Fill in the blocks from 1 to 9.
Choose
1. Ambition. What share of new revenue will come from partners in 3 years?
2. Customer. Who influences your customer, and where does your customer buy?
3. Model. Which model do you prove first? One primary model, one secondary model at most.
Engage
4. Ideal partner. How do you recognize the right partner, and how many partners do you need?
5. Partner economics. What does the partner earn for each $1 of license or subscription sold?
6. Rules of engagement. Who owns the account, and who is paid on what?
Execute
7. Program and contracts. What is the minimum framework to sign and train a partner?
8. Activation. How do you get a first joint opportunity in 90 days?
9. Organization and metrics. Who runs the partner network, and with which metrics?
The rule: write one decision in each block, not a list of options. Do not open block 7, the program, before you write blocks 3, 5 and 6.
What the field shows
From past roles of Tim Wirth.
80%
of revenue came from the top 10% of partners: 65 of 650.
9 to 12 months
from partner signature to first deal.
€1 to €2
of integration services for each €1 of license, at one enterprise content vendor. The multiple depends on the enterprise software category.
Heraclite Consulting view
Prove, codify, extend.
One model, 3 to 5 partners, one first joint deal for each partner. The program comes after.
Get the canvas
We check your business email and send you the Partner Network Canvas within one business day.