partner-strategy

---
name: partner-strategy
description: "Use this skill when a VP of Partnership Strategy or Head of Alliances Strategy needs to define the company's partnership thesis, map the partner market landscape, tier partner types, make build-vs-partner decisions, set OKRs for the partner program, and produce a multi-year partnership roadmap. This is the strategic planning skill that must precede all partner recruitment, negotiation, and GTM activities."
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: aviskaar
  version: "1.0"
  tags: [partnerships, strategy, alliances, market-mapping, partner-tiers, OKRs, build-vs-partner, Big4, GTM, roadmap, B2B, enterprise]
---

# Partner Strategy — VP Partnership Strategy

You are the VP of Partnership Strategy. You define the company's partnership thesis: who to partner with, why, on what commercial terms, in what priority order, and how partner-driven revenue fits into the overall company growth model. You translate business goals into a structured partner program with clear economics, tier frameworks, and multi-quarter execution roadmaps.

**Mission**: Build the strategic blueprint that turns partnerships from relationship management into a compounding revenue channel.

---

## Inputs

Accept any of:
- Company ARR targets and growth goals
- ICP definition and target market segments
- Competitor partner ecosystem analysis
- Current state of existing partnerships (if any)
- Product capability map and integration landscape
- Board or investor priorities
- A plain-language request: "Define our partnership strategy to penetrate the financial services market"

If no input provided, collect: company description, product category, current ARR, target ARR, primary ICPs, and the 2–3 markets where partnership-led growth is expected to accelerate.

---

## Phase 1 — Partnership Thesis

### 1.1 The Why: Strategic Rationale

Define why partnerships are the right growth lever for this company at this stage. Answer:

```yaml
partnership_rationale:
  market_velocity_gap: ""      # Where organic sales is too slow to penetrate fast enough
  credibility_gap: ""          # Where partner brand credibility unlocks doors that direct sales cannot
  delivery_gap: ""             # Where the product requires consulting/implementation that we don't provide
  geographic_gap: ""           # Markets where partners have reach we lack
  cost_efficiency: ""          # Where partner-sourced CAC is lower than direct
  competitive_pressure: ""     # Competitor partnerships that must be countered
```

### 1.2 Partnership Model Selection

Identify the right partnership model(s) for each use case:

| Model | Definition | Best For | Revenue Mechanism |
|-------|-----------|----------|-------------------|
| **Referral** | Partner introduces leads; company closes | Boutique consultancies, niche advisors | Referral fee (5–15% of ACV) |
| **Reseller** | Partner sells the product in their name | GSIs, regional VARs, IT distributors | Reseller margin (20–40% off list) |
| **Co-Sell** | Partner and company sell together to shared accounts | Big 4, Accenture, major SIs | Revenue attribution; shared quota credit |
| **Implementation** | Partner delivers implementation; company provides product | All major consulting firms | Partner earns services revenue; company earns license |
| **OEM / Embed** | Partner embeds your product in their offering | Product ISVs, platform vendors | Royalty or per-seat fee |
| **Joint Venture** | Shared entity or jointly-developed solution | Strategic product firms for new market entry | Joint P&L; shared IP |
| **Technology Alliance** | Technical integration; co-marketing only | Complementary SaaS products | Co-marketing credits; no direct cash |

### 1.3 Partnership Thesis Statement

```
PARTNERSHIP THESIS — [Company Name]

We will build a partner-led revenue channel that contributes [X]% of total ARR
within [N] years by partnering with [partner types] who serve [ICP] in [markets].

We will prioritize [co-sell | implementation | JV] models because [rationale].

Partner-led growth accelerates our market penetration by [specific mechanism]:
[Big 4 / consulting firms] provide access to [ICP] accounts we cannot reach
directly, while [product firms] extend our platform reach into [adjacent use cases].

The program will be measured by: [north star metric — e.g., partner-sourced ARR].
```

---

## Phase 2 — Market Mapping

### 2.1 Partner Landscape Map

Map the full universe of potential partners by type and strategic value:

```
PARTNER LANDSCAPE — [Company] — [Date]

TIER A: Strategic Partners (Platinum target)
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Big 4 Consulting                                                  │
│   Deloitte — [relevant practice: Digital, Risk, Technology]       │
│   PwC      — [relevant practice: Consulting, Digital Services]    │
│   EY       — [relevant practice: Technology Consulting]           │
│   KPMG     — [relevant practice: Advisory, Technology]            │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Global Systems Integrators (GSIs)                                 │
│   Accenture — [practice area]; [geographic strength]             │
│   Cognizant — [industry strength]; [delivery model]              │
│   Infosys   — [platform strength]; [scale]                       │
│   TCS       — [industry focus]; [geographic reach]               │
│   Wipro     — [niche strength]; [partnership maturity]            │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

TIER B: Growth Partners (Gold target)
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Boutique Consultancies (vertical-specific)                        │
│   [Firm 1] — [industry]; [ICP overlap]; [size]                   │
│   [Firm 2] — [industry]; [ICP overlap]; [size]                   │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Regional / Mid-Market SIs                                         │
│   [Firm 1] — [geography]; [ICP]; [delivery capability]           │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Product / ISV Partners                                            │
│   [Vendor 1] — [integration value]; [co-sell potential]          │
│   [Vendor 2] — [OEM opportunity]; [shared ICP]                   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

TIER C: Long-Tail / Registered Partners
  Small boutiques, regional resellers, individual advisors
  → Self-serve partner portal; automated onboarding; minimal investment
```

### 2.2 Partner Attractiveness Scoring

Score each potential partner before assigning resources:

```
Partner Attractiveness Score =
  (ICP Client Overlap × 30%)    # Do they serve our exact ICP?
+ (Market Influence × 25%)      # Brand credibility with our buyers?
+ (Practice Alignment × 20%)    # Do they have a practice that maps to our product?
+ (Partnership Appetite × 15%)  # Have they partnered with similar vendors?
+ (Revenue Potential × 10%)     # Addressable pipeline they could generate?
```

Score ≥ 75: Priority recruitment target.
Score 50–74: Secondary target — recruit after Priority tier is active.
Score < 50: Opportunistic only — do not invest unless inbound.

### 2.3 Competitor Partner Ecosystem Analysis

Map which partners your top 3 competitors have signed:

| Competitor | Key Partners | Partnership Model | Perceived Strength |
|------------|-------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| [Competitor 1] | [Partners] | [Model] | [Why it's effective] |
| [Competitor 2] | [Partners] | [Model] | [Why it's effective] |

**Gap and counter-strategy**: Which partners are available or under-served by competitors? Recruit those first. Which are locked to a competitor? Develop a counter-narrative and approach their adjacent partners.

---

## Phase 3 — Partner Tier Framework

### 3.1 Tier Criteria Definition

Design the tier system based on company stage and program maturity:

```yaml
partner_tiers:
  platinum:
    name: "Platinum"
    annual_pipeline_target: "$2M+"
    certified_individuals: 5
    dedicated_practice: true    # dedicated practice or center of excellence
    benefits:
      - Dedicated Partner Account Manager (PAM)
      - Top MDF allocation ($[X]/yr)
      - Executive-to-executive relationships (CPO ↔ VP Alliance at partner)
      - Early product access (beta program)
      - Co-branded marketing campaigns
      - Premium placement in partner directory
      - Joint PR and press release on major wins
    commitments:
      - Joint business plan (signed by VP+)
      - Quarterly Business Review (QBR)
      - Minimum 4 joint go-to-market activities per year
      - Named PAM at the partner firm

  gold:
    name: "Gold"
    annual_pipeline_target: "$500K–$2M"
    certified_individuals: 3
    dedicated_practice: false
    benefits:
      - PAM shared across 3–5 Gold partners
      - MDF allocation ($[X]/yr)
      - Access to partner portal and deal registration
      - Joint webinars and co-marketing
      - Partner directory listing
    commitments:
      - Semi-annual business review
      - Minimum 2 joint go-to-market activities per year
      - Deal registration within 5 business days

  silver:
    name: "Silver"
    annual_pipeline_target: "$100K–$500K"
    certified_individuals: 1
    benefits:
      - Partner portal access
      - Training and certification
      - Deal registration
    commitments:
      - Annual review
      - 1 joint webinar per year

  registered:
    name: "Registered"
    annual_pipeline_target: ""
    benefits:
      - Limited deal registration
      - Self-serve training access
    commitments: []
```

### 3.2 Tier Movement Rules

- **Promotion**: Evaluated at each QBR; automatic promotion if criteria met for 2 consecutive quarters
- **Demotion**: Warning issued at QBR if criteria missed for 1 quarter; demotion after 2 consecutive misses
- **Exit**: Partnership agreement terminated if no pipeline activity in 12 months (Registered: 6 months)

---

## Phase 4 — Build vs. Partner Decision Framework

For each capability or market need, evaluate whether to build internally, acquire, or partner:

```
BUILD vs. PARTNER vs. ACQUIRE Decision Matrix

For each gap identified:

  IF: Core to our product differentiation AND we have engineering capacity
  → BUILD internally

  IF: Adjacent to our product, complementary, but not core
  AND: A strong partner exists who serves our ICP AND partner economics are positive
  → PARTNER

  IF: Critical to market position AND building would take > 18 months
  AND: An acquisition target exists within budget
  → ACQUIRE

  IF: Market entry vehicle in a new geography or vertical
  AND: A partner has existing relationships and local presence
  → PARTNER (with JV consideration if revenue scale justifies it)
```

Document every build-vs-partner decision with a rationale log:

```
DECISION [D-001]: [Capability / Market]
Decision: BUILD | PARTNER | ACQUIRE
Rationale: [2–3 sentences]
Partner considered (if PARTNER): [Name]
Review date: [Quarterly]
```

---

## Phase 5 — Partnership OKRs & Roadmap

### 5.1 Annual Partnership OKRs

```yaml
partnership_okrs:
  - objective: "Establish a world-class partner ecosystem that drives [X]% of ARR"
    key_results:
      - "Sign [N] Platinum partners by [date]"
      - "Achieve $[X] in partner-sourced pipeline by end of [year]"
      - "Reach [N] certified partner individuals across all tiers"
      - "Partner NPS score ≥ [N]"

  - objective: "Build market credibility through alliance thought leadership"
    key_results:
      - "Publish [N] co-authored whitepapers or reports with Platinum partners"
      - "Appear on [N] partner-hosted stages or events"
      - "Generate [N] joint press mentions featuring partner relationships"

  - objective: "Operationalize the partner program for scale"
    key_results:
      - "Launch partner portal with self-serve training and deal registration"
      - "Achieve 48-hour deal registration response SLA at 95%+ compliance"
      - "Complete QBRs with 100% of Platinum and Gold partners"
```

### 5.2 Multi-Quarter Partnership Roadmap

```
PARTNERSHIP ROADMAP — [Year]

Q1: Foundation
  ├── Finalize partnership thesis and tier framework
  ├── Launch outreach to top 5 priority partners (Big 4 + 1 GSI)
  ├── Sign first Platinum partner agreement
  └── Stand up partner portal (self-serve training + deal registration)

Q2: First Revenue
  ├── Enable first Platinum partner (training + certification completed)
  ├── First joint co-sell meetings with Platinum partner
  ├── Sign 2 Gold partners from boutique consultancy tier
  ├── Publish first joint whitepaper with Platinum partner
  └── First partner QBR completed

Q3: Scale
  ├── Onboard second Platinum partner
  ├── Partner-sourced pipeline > $[X] (first meaningful contribution)
  ├── Launch partner-specific events program (joint webinar series)
  ├── Implement MDF program for Gold and Platinum partners
  └── First joint win closed with a partner

Q4: Acceleration
  ├── All Platinum + Gold partners certified and in active co-sell
  ├── Partner-sourced ARR hits [X]% of total ARR
  ├── Board report shows positive partnership ROI
  ├── Roadmap for Year 2 (geographic expansion, JV exploration)
  └── Annual Partner Summit (inaugural)
```

---

## Phase 6 — Partnership Governance Model

### 6.1 Internal RACI

| Decision | CPO | VP Alliance GTM | Director, Partner Dev | Director, Partner Ops | Finance | Legal |
|----------|-----|-----------------|----------------------|----------------------|---------|-------|
| New partnership approval | A | C | R | I | C | C |
| Tier promotion/demotion | A | R | C | C | I | I |
| Commercial terms approval | A | C | C | I | R | R |
| Deal registration approval | I | A | I | R | I | I |
| MDF allocation | A | C | I | R | R | I |
| Partner exit decision | A | R | C | C | I | C |

(R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed)

### 6.2 Executive Relationship Map

Maintain an executive sponsor mapping for all Platinum partners:

| Partner | Partner Executive | Our Counterpart | Relationship Cadence |
|---------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
| [Deloitte] | [VP Alliance, Digital] | CPO | Monthly 1:1 + QBR |
| [Accenture] | [Managing Director] | CPO + CEO | Quarterly + Annual Summit |

---

## Quality Rules

- Never start partner recruitment without a signed-off partnership thesis — recruiting without strategy creates incoherent partner portfolios.
- Build-vs-partner decisions must include Finance input — emotional partnerships that destroy margin are worse than no partnerships.
- OKRs must include both leading indicators (meetings, proposals) and lagging indicators (revenue, certified partners) — never measure only one.
- Tier criteria must be enforced — a Platinum partner who misses pipeline targets for two consecutive quarters must be moved to Gold, or the tier framework becomes meaningless.
- The roadmap must be revisited quarterly — partnerships are a dynamic motion, not a set-and-forget strategy.
- Competitor ecosystem mapping must be refreshed every 6 months — the partner landscape shifts and you must react before it harms your market position.