Partner-Generated vs. Partner-Influenced Deals: The Differences

Tracking the success of partner performance in your business is critically important as you build and grow a meaningful cloud marketplace alliance program. Your partnership strategy should involve understanding not only who to partner with, but when and how to ensure you are managing your time, energy and resources appropriately. To that end, we’re going to dive deeper into understanding partner performance and specifically Partner-Generated vs. Partner-Influenced deals. 

In a recent blog, we looked at disrupting your partnership view of success by focusing on  facts vs. feelings (read more here). In it, we suggest that ISVs look at which partners are highest performing and how partner engaged opportunities perform vs. non-partner opportunities in an organization. 

To take it a step farther, ISVs looking to make an impact on pipeline with partners should not just understand how the partner performs at the company level but at the individual level. Deals are influenced and generated by people who happen to work for a partner like an SI (system integrator) or CSP (cloud service provider). Knowing and tracking the people who are champions is key. 

Every company (and sometimes even each individual within a company) has a different definition of what equates to influence vs. generated when it comes to partner deals. Step one is defining what it means to you and socializing with your team and organization. In the most basic terms we’ve outlined below some of the criteria to consider for each. 

What is a partner-influenced deal within a cloud marketplace?

Partner-influenced deals were not brought to you by a partner, but the partner played a key role in making introductions to new stakeholders, moving it along and ideally closing the deal. That could look like: 

• Providing critical buying criteria that helped your team understand the prospects’ needs. 
• Offering information on the buying committee and champions within an organization that speed up a deal or singled you to adjust the sales strategy. 
• The partner championed your solution to the prospect after you were already engaged with. 
• The partner provided insider information, tips and advice on how to win the deal. 

What is a partner-generated deal within a cloud marketplace?

Partner-generated deals are opportunities that would not have happened without the partner. In these cases, the partner brought the deal or made the introduction on a net new opportunity. That could look like: 

• Including you on a call with a prospect you have not yet met with. 
• Making an email introduction to a prospect that outlines the value they think you could provide. 
• Invitation to a customer dinner or outing that the partner is hosting. 
• Sending a prospect your way to research where you fit in their current tech stack. 

Tracking partner-generated vs. partner-influenced deals

You are more likely to see influence vs. generated deals from partners, especially as you start. What’s important is that you track and monitor these opportunities at the partner level and at the individual level. 

Tracking at the partner level helps you manage up – this gives you insight into where you should lean in, where there are gaps and where there are opportunities for more education, incentives and outreach. This data helps you educate your organization on why the partnership team is key to success and how you’re affecting the bottom line. 

Getting the most out of your partnerships, however, requires a deeper diver into the people within those partner organizations who are doing the referring and generating. (Note: You can keep track of these relationships using Invisory’s Partner Success Tracker). Think about it in these terms: 

• Who at each partner is your biggest champion 
  • Can they introduce you to their peers
  • Can they include you on a team meeting so you can share success with their wider team
• Do you have individuals that were champions but have fallen off the scoreboard
  • How can you re-engage them 
  • Have they moved companies and does that new company still align with your value
• Are there themes you see like key industries, use cases or regions 
  • How can you double down with the individuals within the partner that align with each 

Although your company’s definition of generated vs. influenced might differ, what’s most important is that you’re defining and tracking each to understand where your deals come from and opportunities to increase pipeline across each. If you’re still tracking in spreadsheets and post-its, check out Invisory’s Partner Success Tracker here or on the AppExchange. 

Want to learn more about taking your partnerships to the next level? Reach out and we’d be happy to chat.