Expansion

Channel Partner Selection Framework

How to pick, onboard and activate partners that actually sell — scorecard, due diligence and 90‑day launch plan.

Why partner?

Partners expand reach, add capacity and reduce CAC in segments where direct sales is slow or expensive. The trap is onboarding logos that never produce. Use a hard-nosed selection process and a launch plan that proves revenue fast.

Ideal partner profiles

Resellers (VARs)

Existing pipeline in your ICP
Quota-carrying sellers + CS capacity
Complementary portfolio (no direct conflict)

System integrators

Services-led, influence large deals
Executive sponsor with P&L
Can staff pilots and migrations

Referrers / Alliances

Market access and credibility
Co-marketing channels and events
Low-friction intros, tracked

Selection scorecard

Dimension	What good looks like	Evidence	Weight
Market access	>500 ICP accounts reachable within 6 months	Named account list, CRM export	25%
Sales capacity	≥5 trained AEs; partner manager assigned	Org chart, enablement plan	20%
Vendor conflict	No exclusive competitor; incentives aligned	Portfolio review, comp model	15%
Co-marketing reach	≥10k opted-in audience and 4 events/qtr	Newsletter stats, event calendar	10%
Services capability	Can deliver L1–L2; 2 certified consultants	Certs, case studies	10%
Executive sponsorship	VP/GM signs 2‑page JBP with targets	Signed JBP	10%
Commercial terms	Margin bands, MDF, deal-reg SLA agreed	Term sheet	10%

Score green ≥75, amber 60–74 (pilot), red <60 (decline).

Due diligence checklist

Pipeline overlap — map top 100 accounts; identify 10 joint targets
Comp plan fit — ensure your product earns equal/greater commission
Services attach — define billable packages partners can sell
Governance — deal-reg rules, renewal ownership, conflict resolution
Compliance — data residency, anti-bribery, sanctions screening

90‑day launch plan

Week 1–2: Enablement — certify 5 AEs + 2 SEs; run partner demo
Week 3–4: Joint pipeline — agree 10 accounts; build 3 co-marketing assets
Week 5–8: First wins — 6 discovery meetings, 3 qualified opps, 1 paid pilot
Week 9–12: Scale — publish case, templatize proposal, QBR with exec sponsor

Success = 3+ qualified opps and ≥$50k new pipeline within 90 days. Miss = pause MDF; fix or exit.

Operating cadence

Weekly — deal review, deal-reg SLA compliance
Monthly — co-marketing performance, enablement gaps
Quarterly (QBR) — pipeline, win/loss, MDF ROI, target reset

Risks & mitigations

Shadow IT & security → standard DPA; security brief in enablement
Budget cycles → align campaigns to sector buying windows
Change management → partner-led onboarding toolkit and CS handoffs