How to convert a new top-tier agency who brings you a user-referral to a formal Partner

Don't let your team get too caught up in closing one referral when there is a bigger fish to fry in the formalization of a reciprocal lasting partnership.

This came up on a call today where one of our clients and their team were very excited that a top-tier agency they did not reach out to brought them a big referral.

The situation:

• You are talking to a top-tier agency about one of their clients' need which seems to be strong for you (excellent)
• The team is so excited about closing that referral, they are not focused on the long term "partnership"
• Your Partnerships lead is in contact with their CEO or CXO...

Now, before you let this die in the sales pipeline on an AE's desk... you have to run this procedure to get them onto your Partner Track:

Converting them to a partner:

1. Find out if they go to market with tech partners now (strategize co-marketing and co-selling with announcements etc...).
2. IF they do, get their process and details into a Partner Memorandum so you are aligned
3. Regardless, the next step is to do a stakeholders presentation of the "Partner Track" - what it is your hoping to get done with that and other similar agency partners over a 90-day timeline.
4. Schedule that as a lunch/learn to make it easy for them to ask their team to join ("Free lunch").
5. Meanwhile, work on the Partner Track to ensure you are articulating the business goal of partnering - what new services their agency can set up and sell on top of your product - so they are keen to be an "Expert" implementation partner - not just a referral partner.
6. Also, meet with your marketing team and get a list of co-marketing endeavors they are able to earmark for "partner sourced" events/content/case studies/podcasts/white papers...
7. Regardless of what happens (their interest level) after those lunch and learns, have that next thing you want to do with them unrelated to the program or product ready to mention and ask for a second call to discuss. This will help ensure it doesn't go stale.
8. IF they are interested in the partner track, the next calls would be (1) strategic with your product team and their sales team to show how it would be used / sold, (2) with your marketing teams to plan out a go-to-market announcement and other creative you can push to help get the word out, and (3) a monthly or quarterly standup with their sales lead to map accounts.

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