Partners don’t…

➡️ work for you

➡️ report to you

➡️ think about you as much as you think about them

➡️ or lose sleep over you

You might have the greatest offering with the greatest commission plan that you’d expect others to drool over.

But you’re still an external non-priority “blip” to their day-to-day busy lives.

Send all the swag you want whenever you want, but you’re never going to be top of mind or top priority.

But that’s okay! That’s how it should be.

Your partner network should be treated as a resource, and you should be seen as an added value to their professional lives.

Not a burden.

Partner/referral programs stall for many reasons.

But one main reason is that we, as partner managers expect too much too fast.

Sure, we want spring to come as soon as possible after a frigid cold winter, but enjoy the season you’re in and appreciate it for what it is in the moment.

Partnerships should be treated the same.

Thanks for contributing to this section of the PhD, Eric Smith.

Should you go all in on a partner-led approach?

When you have a limited budget, it requires you to partner up. It’s the only way to extend your reach without spending more money.

Recently, Will Taylor reached out to the ecosystem to ask:

Can you build a great company with a 100% partner-led approach?

Chris Lavoie of Digital Bridge Partners shared his thoughts.

Chris suggested we reframe the question. Instead of asking if you should go all in on partnerships, ask, "Should a partner-led motion be the driving force in your business." The answer for Chris was, "Yes."

Check out the insightful video response he left for us:

Chris Lavoie shares his thoughts on taking a partner-led Nearbound approach to your business. Click here to watch.

Got something to say on this topic? Leave your thoughts with us in a video message.

The future of business is near(bound)

Tanyette Colon wants to change the conversation happening in ALL businesses.

She has simple yet ambitious with our Future of Series— to educate and create a blueprint for a more sustainable and inclusive world.

On March 30th at 5pm EST InFUUSE is hosting a round table to discuss The Future of Business with Jared Fuller , Skaled Consulting , Kendall Gallagher, and Jake Dunlap.

Some of the topics they will uncover:

• What is Nearbound, and why is it the GTM blueprint of the now?
• What does the future of sales look like?
• What is the Trust Economy?
• Innovation through humanization.
• The fundamental mind-shift that needs to happen so that ecosystems can thrive.

Register here.

Happenings

• Reveal - Australia Partnerships Event - March 23 6PM – Join Reveal’s VP of Partnership Activation, Antoine Roubaud, Sally Van der Linden, and Jobadder Partnership Manager Shuba Paheerathan, plus some of Australia’s brightest B2B partnership professionals for an evening of learning and networking. Register here.
• Firneo - How to Kick-Ass in Your First Partnerships Role - Wednesday, March 29th, 12 – 1 PM ET – Learn practical, tactical insights to conquer your new role so you can start putting wins on the board immediately. Register here.
• PartnerXperience Partnerships Meetup Berlin March 29th - This event is for Partnership Professionals, who would like to connect, learn and exchange best practices on how to build successful partnerships with other peers. Register here.
• InFUUSE – The Future of Business: Unleashing the Ecosystem Blueprint to Redefine Growth – Thursday, March 30th, 5 PM EST – Join Jared Fuller and an incredible panel of futurists, disruptors, innovators, and dreamers for an electrifying virtual round table to discuss the future of business. Learn why Nearbound is the GTM blueprint. Register here.
• Generating & MOVING Pipeline with Partners – Thursday, March 30th, 2 PM ET – Cory Synder (from Sendoso) is meeting up with Justin Zimmerman to share how he uses tools like Crossbeam, Reveal, Slack, as well as KPIs he’s built to push pipeline & keep aligned with leadership. Register here.

Quote of the Day

If we embrace the creators, and become an engine that empowers creators, you learn more about their audience, you help them pick the right topics, and you help them produce content that is relevant and personal. – Nick Bennett of Airmeet on the Market[ing] Together Podcast

Go all in on the partner approach; share the PhD

We’re in the decade of the partnerships ecosystem. It’s time to go all in. Share the PhD and get some PartnerHacker swag while you’re at it.