Partnership & BD
Scope
Covers
- Defining partnership goals and selecting the right partnership type (platform, integration, channel, referral, co-marketing)
- Building a prioritized partner target list with a scoring model and “finger-on-the-button” decision-maker mapping
- Crafting a clear value exchange (why them / why us / why now), including alpha/beta + case-study angles
- Designing an outreach + relationship system (warm intros + ethical cold outreach + lightweight content plan)
- Aligning internally on a scalable partner offer (avoid bespoke one-off deals; define negotiation parameters)
- Negotiation prep (guardrails, walk-away, patience) and a simple deal process (MAP + pilot)
- Partner launch + operating cadence (enablement, metrics, check-ins)
When to use
- “Create a partnership strategy and a target partner list.”
- “We need an integration/platform partnership—draft a pitch and outreach sequence.”
- “Design a channel/referral partner program for distribution.”
- “Help me negotiate partnership terms and define what’s negotiable vs standard.”
- “We signed a partner—build a launch plan + operating cadence.”
When NOT to use
- You need to define the product/ICP/positioning from scratch (do that first; then return here)
- You want high-volume spam outreach or anything deceptive/manipulative
- You need legal advice or contract language (use this skill for non-legal term framing only; involve counsel)
- You’re doing M&A, fundraising, or procurement/vendor selection (different motion)
Inputs
Minimum required
- Partnership objective(s) + success metric(s) (e.g., qualified pipeline, revenue, distribution, integrations shipped)
- Product summary + differentiation (1–2 sentences) and what you can offer partners (API/integration, audience, revenue share, credibility, data)
- Target customer/market and the partner archetype(s) you want (platform, integration, channel, referral, strategic)
- Constraints: timeline, geo/segment focus, compliance/regulatory constraints, exclusivity appetite, budget
- Internal capacity: BD owner, engineering bandwidth (if integration), marketing bandwidth (if co-marketing)
Missing-info strategy
- Ask up to 5 questions from references/INTAKE.md.
- If key data is missing, proceed with explicit assumptions and include an Assumptions & unknowns section.
- For high-stakes commitments (exclusivity, data sharing, regulated claims), require human review and document a safe default.
Outputs (deliverables)
Produce a Partnership & BD Execution Pack (Markdown):
- Context snapshot (objective, constraints, current baseline)
- Partnership thesis (why partner, why now, partner types, non-goals)
- Partner target list + scoring (top 10–30) + decision-maker + intro path
- Partner pitch kit (1-page pitch + case-study/alpha angle + outreach templates)
- Scalable offer + negotiation parameters (tiers, what’s standard vs bespoke, guardrails)
- Deal process plan (MAP/pilot definition, stakeholders, timeline, “walk-away”)
- Launch + operating cadence (enablement, co-marketing plan, metrics, check-ins)
- Risks / Open questions / Next steps (always included)
Templates: references/TEMPLATES.md
Workflow (7 steps)
1) Intake + choose the partnership motion
- Inputs: User context; references/INTAKE.md.
- Actions: Clarify the objective and pick the partnership type(s): platform/integration, channel/referral, strategic/co-marketing. Identify whether the motion is network-dependent (regulated or concentrated buyer markets) and what “success” looks like in 30/60/90 days.
- Outputs: Context snapshot + partnership thesis draft + assumptions.
- Checks: Objective is measurable; non-goals and constraints are explicit.
2) Define a scalable partner offer (avoid bespoke deals)
- Inputs: Product capabilities; engineering/marketing constraints.
- Actions: Draft the “partner package”: what you can reliably offer (integration tier, enablement, support, co-marketing) and what you will not do. Define negotiation parameters and pre-approved ranges to increase deal velocity.
- Outputs: Offer tiers + negotiation parameters sheet.
- Checks: A teammate could run a partner conversation without inventing bespoke promises.
3) Build the partner universe + score + pick the first wedge
- Inputs: Target market; competitor/adjacent ecosystem; any existing relationships.
- Actions: List plausible partners, then score and shortlist based on mutual value, reach, feasibility, and decision velocity. For each top candidate, identify the “finger-on-the-button” decision-maker and the lowest-social-capital intro path.
- Outputs: Partner list table + scoring model + top wedge recommendation.
- Checks: Each top partner has a clear “why them” and a specific next action (intro, email, event, content hook).
4) Craft the value exchange + pitch narrative (case study / alpha angle)
- Inputs: Offer tiers; proof points; partner incentives.
- Actions: Write a 1-page pitch that shows how *your* success helps *their* goals. For major platforms, propose an alpha/beta or “flagship case study” angle. Keep the ask crisp and low-friction.
- Outputs: 1-page pitch + talk track + proof points.
- Checks: The pitch answers: “Why now?”, “Why us?”, “What do you want?”, “What’s in it for them?”
5) Outreach + relationship system (warm first, ethical cold second)
- Inputs: Target list; pitch; available channels.
- Actions: Build outreach sequences (warm intro asks, cold emails/DMs, follow-ups) and a lightweight content plan to build credibility. Track outreach as experiments: message → meetings → iteration.
- Outputs: Outreach kit + 2–4 week execution plan.
- Checks: Messages are specific, respectful, and permissioned; each has a single clear ask.
6) Deal process + negotiation (patience + guardrails)
- Inputs: Negotiation parameters; partner priorities; risk constraints.
- Actions: Define a deal path (discovery → pilot → term sheet → launch). Use strategic patience when leverage is asymmetric; be willing to say “not yet” to improve terms. Document walk-away conditions and any exclusivity logic.
- Outputs: Mutual action plan (MAP) + pilot definition + key terms outline.
- Checks: You can explain what you will trade (and won’t) in one minute; the next step is scheduled and owned.
7) Launch + operate + quality gate
- Inputs: Draft pack; references/CHECKLISTS.md; references/RUBRIC.md.
- Actions: Produce a launch plan (enablement + co-marketing + measurement) and an operating cadence (weekly/biweekly check-ins, QBR). Run the checklist and score the rubric. Always add Risks / Open questions / Next steps.
- Outputs: Final Partnership & BD Execution Pack.
- Checks: The plan is executable this week and includes a learning loop.
Quality gate (required)
- Use references/CHECKLISTS.md and references/RUBRIC.md.
- Always include: Risks, Open questions, Next steps.
Examples
Example 1 (platform/integration partnership): “Use partnership-bd. We’re a B2B SaaS analytics tool. Goal: 3 co-sell integrations that each drive 5 qualified leads/month by end of Q2. Targets: HubSpot + Snowflake ecosystem partners. Constraints: 1 engineer half-time. Output: a Partnership & BD Execution Pack with partner scoring, an integration-tier offer, outreach sequences, and a launch cadence.”
Example 2 (regulated, network-dependent BD): “Use partnership-bd. We’re selling into healthcare and need payer/provider partnerships. We have one warm connector but intros are expensive. Output: a prioritized partner list, crisp use-case one-pager, intro asks, and a deal process with walk-away conditions.”
Boundary example: “Write a generic cold email that works for anyone and send 10,000 messages.” Response: refuse spam; ask for a defined partner archetype and a small, ethical outreach experiment plan. If the goal is broad demand gen, use a marketing/content skill instead.