Partner Lifecycle Management (PLM)

The level of interaction and participation from a partner, including logins, content views, deal activity, and communications.

A composite metric that quantifies how active and involved a partner is in your program based on various inputs like logins, submissions, and certifications.

Rewards or compensation provided to partners for achieving milestones or completing specific activities like registering leads or closing deals

The end-to-end experience a partner has with your program, from discovery and onboarding through engagement, renewal, or exit.

A specific performance metric used to evaluate individual partner impact, such as sourced revenue, close rate, or campaign engagement.

The internal role responsible for building and managing relationships with partners, driving performance, and acting as the main point of contact.

A specific type of co-op fund that partners can apply for to run marketing campaigns, sometimes tied to tier level or region.

The collective group of all companies and individuals enrolled in your partner program, often categorized by type, tier, or region.

The financial reward or commission paid to a partner for their contribution to a closed deal, successful referral, or ongoing service.

A set of indicators used to assess how well a partner is performing, including lead quality, conversion rate, customer retention, and revenue generated.

A semi-fictional profile that outlines the ideal characteristics, goals, and behaviors of your most successful or desired partners.

A digital interface where partners can access tools, resources, deal registration, marketing content, and support, all in one place.

A structured system for managing partner relationships and activities. Includes tiers, benefits, expectations, tools, and goals to drive mutual success.

The stages of engagement a partner goes through, from discovery and recruitment to activation, scaling, and eventual renewal or termination.

The discipline and tools used to manage and optimize partner relationships at scale, often through software platforms that track revenue, engagement, and operations.

The ability to maintain active, engaged partnerships over time, often through continued support, value delivery, and recognition.

A role focused on supporting partners in closing deals, providing sales resources, and enabling field-level collaboration with internal reps.

A subject matter expert who supports a specific partner segment, such as affiliates, ISVs, or distributors, ensuring tailored support and strategy alignment.

Technology and content resources used to help partners get answers quickly, resolve technical questions, or troubleshoot client issues.

Revenue that originates directly from a partner’s effort, such as referred deals or those fully closed by the partner.

A formal contract that outlines the rights, responsibilities, and expectations of both parties in a partnership.

Revenue earned with minimal ongoing effort, often through referral links, affiliate marketing, or ongoing subscriptions.

Key indicators that show the effectiveness of a partner, program, or campaign, typically tied to revenue, engagement, or operational benchmarks.

A potential customer that fits your ICP and has shown some level of interest or intent. Often passed from partner to vendor during lead-sharing.

A partner who refers leads to your business in exchange for a commission or incentive. Typically, they do not participate in the sale or implementation process.

A structured initiative that rewards individuals or companies for referring potential customers. Can be standalone or part of a broader partner program.

A partner who purchases your product or service at a discount and resells it to end customers, often with added services or regional expertise.

A legal contract outlining the terms, pricing, and responsibilities of a reseller relationship, including how pricing, support, and renewals are handled.

A measurement of the value derived from a partnership, factoring in not just revenue, but also brand exposure, reach, and long-term growth potential.

The method of assigning credit to the appropriate partner, campaign, or activity that contributed to revenue generation.

A compensation model where partners receive a percentage of revenue from the deals they influence, close, or support.

The process of ensuring internal sales teams and partners are aligned on messaging, goals, account ownership, and deal collaboration.

The tools, training, and content provided to help internal sales teams and partners engage leads and close deals more effectively.

A structured guide containing messaging, objection handling, positioning, and sales process steps for partners to follow in different deal scenarios.

A partner that delivers services such as consulting, integration, or support in conjunction with your product. Often involved post-sale.

A partner that bundles or combines your product with their own offering to provide a complete solution to customers.

A long-term collaboration between two companies with shared goals, often involving product integration, joint GTM, or regional expansion.

A high-value, often co-selling or co-building partner who contributes significantly to revenue, product development, or market penetration.

A partner that integrates with your product to extend functionality or embed capabilities, typically through APIs or marketplaces.

A formal partnership between two tech companies that collaborate on integrations, co-selling, and joint marketing.

A partner program structured into levels (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold) based on performance, engagement, or capabilities. Higher tiers receive greater rewards and visibility.

A digital platform or module within your PRM that hosts partner training materials such as videos, quizzes, and certifications.

Indicators that build credibility with customers and partners, such as badges, testimonials, certifications, or reviews, used to foster confidence in your program or offering.

The specific value or feature that makes your product or partnership program stand out from competitors. It should be clear, memorable, and relevant to your ideal partner or customer.

A measure of how users (including partner reps) interact with your product, portal, or content. Often used to assess adoption and satisfaction.

A clear statement of the benefits a customer or partner receives from working with you, including outcomes, efficiencies, or revenue potential.

A reseller that bundles your product with additional services, such as setup, customization, or training, to provide greater value to customers.

A partner who specializes in a particular industry or niche, such as healthcare, fintech, or education, often bringing deep domain expertise to the relationship.

A partner who resells your product under their own branding. Often used in SaaS, where your software becomes part of their end-to-end service offering.

The percentage of opportunities won out of the total number of deals pursued. Often used to evaluate partner effectiveness or co-sell success.

Using technology to streamline and automate partner tasks such as lead distribution, onboarding sequences, or campaign tracking.

The percentage increase or decrease in a metric, like revenue, leads, or partner engagement, compared to the same period in the previous year.