Partner Deals Have a 32% bigger deal size and 2.8X higher win rate
Introw's 2024 research on B2B deals reveals that partner-attributed deals outperform non-partner deals in key areas. Partner-attributed deals are 32% larger and have a win rate 2.8 times higher than non-partner deals.
Introw conducted a research on 2024 comparing the partner-attributed deals with non partner attributed deals.
In today's hyper-competitive business landscape, partnerships are becoming increasingly vital for driving revenue growth and scaling operations. Recent research on 2024 deals reveals compelling insights into the impact of partner-attributed deals compared to non-partner deals, shedding light on why partnerships are more crucial than ever.
Key Findings from Our Research
Introw detected that partner-attributed deals significantly outperform direct sales (non-partner) deals in two critical areas:
Higher Deal Size: Partner-attributed deals boast an average deal size that is 32% higher compared to non-partner deals.
Higher Win Rate: The win rate for partner-attributed deals is 2.8 times higher than for non-partner deals.
Interestingly, our research showed no significant difference in the sales cycle length between partner and non-partner deals.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Business
These findings underline a fundamental truth: partner ecosystems are revenue multipliers. Here's why:
Increased Credibility: Partners bring an added layer of trust and credibility to the sales process, which can be crucial in closing larger deals. Customers are more likely to trust recommendations from partners they already have a relationship with.
Access to New Markets: Partners can open doors to new opportunities and markets that may have been difficult to penetrate independently.
Improved Win Rates: With a win rate that is nearly three times higher for partner-attributed deals, it's clear that partnerships are a critical factor in improving sales outcomes.
How to Leverage Partners for Maximum Impact
Based on our findings, here are three actionable steps your business can take to maximize the impact of partner-attributed deals:
Invest in Partner Enablement: Equip your partners with the right tools and resources to succeed. This includes training, co-marketing initiatives, and providing them with access to your sales collateral.
Leverage Partner Relationship Management (PRM) Software: Platforms like Introw can help streamline partner collaboration, track deal attribution, and measure partner performance.
Align Incentives: Ensure your partners are motivated to bring deals to the table by offering competitive incentives and fostering a mutually beneficial relationship.
Conclusion
The numbers don’t lie: Partner-attributed deals are larger, more successful, and just as fast to close. Companies that prioritize building and nurturing their partner ecosystems stand to gain a significant competitive advantage.
If you want to see similar results in 2025, now is the time to invest in your partner strategy. Platforms like Introw can help you get there by simplifying the way you collaborate with partners and driving better outcomes. Schedule a demo here or get started for free.
What is Introw?
Introw unlocks partner revenue by eliminating the friction of partner collaboration. Companies working with resellers, referral partners, distributors, or implementation partners use Introw to seamlessly share sales materials, collaborate on customer data, and drive partner engagement—all integrated with their CRM.
Everflow is purpose-built for B2C affiliate marketing and e-commerce referral programs. If you need to collaborate with SaaS resellers, enable co-selling, or deeply integrate with your CRM, you’ve already outgrown affiliate tools and should consider a modern, CRM-first PRM.
Why Consider an Everflow Alternative in 2025?
When scaling a SaaS partner program, choosing the right technology stack is critical — but not all “partner platforms” are created equal. Everflow is a popular platform in the affiliate marketing world, built for B2C brands and digital commerce teams that want to manage high-volume, transactional affiliate or influencer relationships. But for SaaS companies running B2B partner programs — especially those focused on co-selling, enablement, and revenue collaboration — affiliate tools like Everflow simply aren’t designed for the job.
Everflow’s core strengths are affiliate link creation, payout automation, and large-scale tracking — ideal for e-commerce or consumer referral programs. If your goal is to manage influencer marketing, run pay-per-click campaigns, or turn your customer base into referral partners, Everflow is a solid choice.
However, Everflow is not built for B2B SaaS channel programs where:
You need to train or enable partners with content and resources
You want to co-sell and collaborate on pipeline, not just pay out commissions
You work with resellers, referral partners, or managed service providers
Your revenue team relies on real-time CRM data for forecasting and attribution
In short: Everflow is a strong B2C affiliate tool, but not a PRM (Partner Relationship Management) solution for SaaS. If you’re building a modern B2B partner ecosystem, you’ll want a CRM-native PRM platform that supports deep engagement, automation, and revenue alignment across your entire partner lifecycle.
What to Look for in an Everflow Alternative — If You’re Considering a True PRM
If you’re evaluating alternatives to Everflow because you want to do more than just affiliate payouts — like building lasting partner relationships, driving co-selling, or enabling resellers — you’re really in the market for a Partner Relationship Management (PRM) solution, not another affiliate tool.
Here’s what to prioritize if you’re ready for a real PRM:
CRM-Native Workflows: Seamless integration with Salesforce or HubSpot to keep partner data and deals in your single source of truth
Automation: Onboarding, deal registration, communications, and reporting handled automatically — not through manual tracking
Off-Portal Engagement: Communicate and collaborate with partners via Slack, email, or other tools they already use (no portal logins required)
Real-Time Analytics: Pipeline, attribution, and forecasting updated live inside your CRM
Scalability: Manage anywhere from 10 to 300+ partners, each with customized journeys and permissions
The bottom line: If you’re running a B2B SaaS partner program and want more than basic affiliate marketing, focus on platforms designed for lasting, revenue-driven relationships — not just transactional tracking.
17 Best Everflow Alternatives for SaaS & B2B Partner Programs (2025)
There are plenty of great Everflow alternatives out there in 2025.
Here are our 17 top picks of the best Everflow alternatives, alongside their stand-out use cases and pros and cons.
1. Introw
A modern, CRM-first PRM platform that integrates deeply with Salesforce and HubSpot. Introw empowers businesses to launch branded partner portals in minutes — no coding needed.
Other highlights include:
Off-portal comms
Deep engagement tracking
Automated deal registrations and partner updates, with no login required
Customizable by partner type or tier
It also automates deal and lead registration, commissions, and real-time partner engagement via email or Slack; all synced seamlessly with CRM data.
Best for: SaaS teams needing CRM-first partner automation
Why switch? Introw empowers SaaS teams to go beyond affiliate marketing and run true co-selling and revenue-generating programs.
Impact.com is an all‑in‑one partnership management platform that empowers brands to manage diverse partner types — affiliates, influencers, creators, and referral advocates — within a unified interface.
It automates the full partner lifecycle, from recruitment and contracting to tracking, payouts, and performance optimization.
However, it's worth noting thatImpact.com offers fewer B2B and channel features than many other platforms, and its CRM integration is limited, too.
Top features include:
Marketplace
Deep affiliate tracking
Payout automation
Best for: Affiliate-first organizations, influencer, and content partnerships
Pros and cons: Impact.com is best suited for scaling digital commerce and affiliate programs rather than SaaS channel co-selling.
6. Impartner
Impartner is a leading partner ecosystem platform that offers end-to-end PRM and Through-Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA).
It simplifies the partner lifecycle — from recruiting and onboarding to training, marketing, deal registration, and performance analytics.
Highlights include:
Full-featured PRM (including deal reg, MDF, onboarding, and analytics)
Advanced role permissions
Strong reporting
Best for: Enterprises, global channel programs
Pros and cons: A great option for large organizations with IT resources, but it has a slower setup than similar tools
7. Tune
TUNE (formerly HasOffers) is a flexible SaaS platform designed for brands, agencies, and networks, offering a comprehensive solution for partner marketing.
It's important to bear in mind that this is a digital-first platform and is not ideal for SaaS channel sales.
Key features include:
Flexible tracking
API
Good mobile support
Best for: Affiliate/performance marketing (mobile, app, gaming)
Pros and cons: TUNE offers API integration, fraud prevention, and real-time reportingbut lacks partner co-selling and CRM integration.
8. Partnerize
Partnerize is an AI-powered partnership automation platform that helps enterprises manage, optimize, and vault affiliate, influencer, and referral programs end‑to‑end.
The platform's highlights include:
Affiliate, influencer, B2B, and channel all in one platform
AI-powered optimization
Flexible reporting
Best for: Large brands managing mixed partner ecosystems
Pros and cons: Partnerize works best for companies with big budgets and delivers big reach — but it's not tailored for SaaS workflows.
9. Zift Solutions
Zift Solutions — a unified PRM and through-channel marketing automation platform for indirect selling — promises to optimize campaigns and deliver happier partners.
It excels in channel marketing and automation for large teams.
Platform highlights include:
MDF
Campaign management
Strong integrations
Best for: Channel marketing automation at enterprise scale
Pros and cons: Zift Solutions offers robust reporting but can be complex
10. Crossbeam
Crossbeam is an ecosystem‑led growth platform that securely connects partner CRMs and data sources to identify account overlaps, surface warm leads, and enable co‑selling.
This platform is designed to help sales teams uncover partnership opportunities and drive ecosystem‑based revenue — and should be used to supplement your CRM and/or PRM.
Crossbeam's key features are:
Account mapping
Partner overlap
Joint pipeline tracking
Best for: SaaS with ecosystem and co-selling focus
Pros and Cons: Crossbeam is not a full PRM, but it's super useful for ecosystem data
11. Channeltivity
Channeltivity is a cloud-based PRM and channel management software designed to help companies build, scale, and optimize their indirect sales programs.
It works well for classic channel teams rather than affiliate-heavy programs.
Key features include:
Deal reg
MDF
Reporting
Customizable portal
Best for: Mid-market B2B SaaS
Pros and cons: Quick to deploy and has HubSpot/Salesforce connectors but is not ideal for affiliate-heavy programs
12. Magentrix
Magentrix is a robust PRM and partner portal platform.
This software helps organizations streamline partner onboarding, deal registration, pipeline tracking, incentives, and training via a built-in learning management system.
Its LMS makes it an excellent fit for SaaS teams with heavy partner enablement or content needs.
Key features:
PRM
Community features
Strong Salesforce integration
Resource library
Support tools
Best for: Teams needing robust partner portal customization
Pros and cons: Magentrix is highly flexible and scalable, but it does come with a learning curve, and its high level of customization means implementation can be slow.
13. Affise
Promising to help companies master performance marketing and mobile attribution, cloud‑based Affise simplifies partnerships — affiliate, influencer, app, and referral marketing.
This is a handy tool for teams that are digital-first, mobile-first, or work in e-commerce.
Highlights include:
Flexible tracking
Payout automation
Supports mobile attribution data
Best for: Performance marketing and affiliate networks
Pros and cons: Affise is helpful in the B2C space, but it's not built explicitly for co-sell or B2B SaaS channels.
14. Salesforce PRM
Salesforce PRM is an extension of the Salesforce Sales Cloud that empowers companies to manage channel sales with their partners.
As you'd imagine, it's fully integrated with Salesforce CRM, enabling organizations to grow indirect sales and collaborate efficiently with their partner ecosystem.
Salesforce PRM is a top choice for teams with SFDC admins or those who need single-source-of-truth
Key features include:
Native integration
Customizable objects
Customizable workflows
Best for: Organizations already on Salesforce
Pros and cons: Salesforce PRM offers built-in reporting but has limited out-of-the-box PRM features
15. Elioplus
Elioplus is a B2B platform for software and cloud vendors that simplifies channel growth by combining partner recruitment with PRM features.
It's best used for building partner networks rather than scaling complex programs.
Highlights include:
Marketplace
Partner discovery
Some PRM features
Best for: SaaS/IT vendors looking for partner recruitment
Pros and cons: The software's emphasis on partner recruitment is valuable for those building their partner program, but Elioplus is limited when it comes to automation and deep integrations.
16. Post Affiliate Pro
Need a software that will help you launch, track, and manage affiliate programs at scale?
Take a look at Post Affiliate Pro, which is designed for affiliate programs.
If you're looking for channel sales support, however, this may not be the software for you.
Key features of Post Affiliate Pro include:
Multi-currency
Campaign management
Automated commission payments
Best for: Affiliate marketing and pay-per-performance schemes
Pros and cons: While useful for affiliate programs, it's not focused on B2B or SaaS channels.
17. WorkSpan
WorkSpan is a SaaS-based ecosystem business‑management platform that unifies co‑selling, co‑marketing, co‑investing, and co‑innovating across partner networks.
Features include:
Joint pipeline tracking
Workflow automation
Real-time referral sharing
Salesforce integration
Comprehensive data visibility
Best for: Co-selling, alliance, and ecosystem management
Pros and cons: This software is a good fit for businesses with complex ecosystems but not classic affiliate programs.
Why SaaS Teams Upgrade to Introw
Modern SaaS teams need tools that match the speed and complexity of today's partner ecosystems while also simplifying collaboration and streamlining user journeys.
Here's why leading SaaS teams are making the switch to Introw.
CRM-native workflows
Introw works directly within your existing CRM, so your team gets to keep using familiar tools without any disruption, and you get to retain your single source of truth.
Forget forcing partners to log into separate portals — this is a fast track to disengagement.
Introw enables seamless communication and collaboration outside of portals (such as email and Slack), reducing friction and keeping partners engaged where they already work.
Instant analytics
Action real-time insights with analytics that update instantly.
Track partner performance, spot trends early, and make data-driven decisions without waiting for reports.
No more missed updates or chasing partners
Stay effortlessly connected with automated alerts and notifications.
Role-based dashboards for managers, RevOps, and CROs
Everyone on your team gets personalized dashboards tailored to their needs.
This means managers, RevOps, and CROs can easily access the data that matters most to them, empowering them to make faster and smarter decisions.
Introw has been proven to scale SaaS partner revenue — request a demo here today.
Conclusion
Today's partner programs demand more than just tracking — they require deep CRM integration, automation to reduce manual work, and meaningful engagement that create results.
It's fair to say that traditional tools and disconnected portals simply can't keep up with the speed and complexity of modern SaaS ecosystems.
What are the next steps for organizations building and running modern partner programs?
Evaluate the leading partner management solutions
Schedule a live demo with your team
Choose a platform that can future-proof your channel strategy as you grow
After all, the right tool can make all the difference in unlocking partner-led revenue.
Partner enablement is essential in 2025. If you provide partners with the proper knowledge, resources, and tools, they'll make more sales and drive more revenue . This guide explains what partner enablement is, why it's important, and how to build an effective partner enablement strategy for your SaaS company.
If you want your partnership program to succeed, you must build a strong partner enablement strategy. Doing so will ensure your channel partners have the knowledge, resources, and support they need to close deals.
But what is partner enablement? How is it different from partner onboarding? And most importantly, how do you build a partner enablement plan that scales?
We'll answer these questions (and many more) in this article to help you build a better partner sales process for your SaaS company. Let's get started!
What Is Partner Enablement?
Partner enablement is the act of enabling partners to sell on your behalf.
It's done by giving channel partners access to product details, marketing materials, and sales training to improve partner performance and ensure revenue growth.
Think about the sales enablement process you put your sales reps through. An effective partner enablement strategy is similar, but designed for external partners (like resellers, distributors, and affiliates) instead of internal teams.
It's important to note, partner enablement is different from partner onboarding.
Partner enablement is an ongoing process. You must continually train and support your channel partners for them to be effective. Partner onboarding is a one-time event that introduces new partners to your company so they can start selling.
One more thing: There are different types of partner enablement.
There's product enablement, which teaches partners about the products and services you sell. There's marketing enablement, which teaches partners the best ways to promote your products and services. And there's sales enablement, which teaches partners specific sales techniques to close deals.
Successful partner enablement strategies include elements of all enablement types.
Why Partner Enablement Is Critical in 2025
Now that we know what partner enablement is, let's talk about why it's essential.
There are many reasons to invest in a channel partner enablement strategy. The most important ones are brand identity, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.
Brand Identity: Your partners are brand ambassadors. If you don't enable them to market and sell your products effectively, they might misrepresent your brand. This could have a negative impact on your company's reputation.
Customer Satisfaction: Your partners interact with customers on your behalf. Effective partner training and sales resources - the things a strong partner enablement plan provides - will help your partners deliver better customer support that increases customer satisfaction and retention.
Revenue Growth: Your partners will sell more products and services when they're properly trained and supported. They'll retain existing customers for longer periods of time as well. These two things will lead to more revenue and success for your company - both now and in the future.
A large partner network isn't enough. You need to provide said partners with ongoing support if you want them to close deals and drive revenue. Fortunately, a proper channel partner program will enable partners to succeed.
Core Elements of a Scalable Partner Enablement Strategy
What does an effective, scalable partner enablement strategy look like? Let's dive into four core elements so you can build more successful partnerships in 2025:
1. Onboarding That Activates (Not Overwhelms)
As we alluded to, onboarding is a partner enablement best practice.
The key is to welcome resellers, distributors, and affiliates into your partner ecosystem in a way that inspires them to take action - not overwhelms them. Progressive learning paths, tailored to specific partner types and available in your partner portal, let partners get up to speed at their own pace.
With Introw, building these onboarding flows is simple and requires zero code. And with our soon-to-launch LMS, you can go a step further by embedding short quizzes and enabling partner certification right in the portal.
For many programs, certification is the final step - partners must complete it before they’re fully enabled and able to sell your solution. It’s a win-win: you know your partners are truly prepared, and they gain the confidence to succeed from day one.
2. Centralized, Always-On Content Access
Your partners should have 24/7 access to channel partner sales enablement content. This will help them learn about products or study sales techniques in their own time.
If possible, co-brand all sales enablement content. Or better yet, work with each partner to create unique materials they can use to close deals.
When partners have exactly what they need to make sales, and customers trust said partners like they would your internal sales team, they'll generate more revenue.
We also suggest syncing content into partner workflows. That way your partners always have access to proper sales collateral. This is often the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. Support your partners and they'll support you!
With Introw, your partners can always get the content they need via email or Slack. Off-portal access makes it incredibly easy to facilitate deals in real time. And with the Introw AI Agent, partners can interact with enablement materials and ask questions about your product or sales process - getting instant, AI-powered answers 24/7, right when they need them.
If you're unfamiliar with the term, co-selling is when two companies work together to position, promote, and sell complimentary solutions to the same target market.
Co-selling can be incredibly effective for SaaS companies - if it's done right. To make it work for your brand, design mutual action plans (MAPs) that outline responsibilities. Then give partners access to deal threads to track potential sales.
Also, asynchronous workflows are critical. Partners should be able to communicate with each other conveniently. This will reduce friction and increase sales.
Introw facilitates co-selling in multiple ways.
First, the platform lets you build structured co-sell motions and track them by CRM stage, partner type, and target account segment. Then, channel partners are easily onboarded and given off-portal access to the platform.
Once a partner is working on a deal, they can easily register it using simple forms in the partner portal. The deal is created automatically in your CRM and attributed to the right partner, so nothing slips through the cracks. From there, you can co-sell in real-time, collaborating on deals and moving faster together.
Finally, Introw provides you and your partners with shared dashboards to track partner enablement metrics like win rate, sales velocity, and total revenue.
Which partners generate the most leads? Which close the most deals? Which drive the most revenue? Create scorecards for every partner and grade them regularly.
Why is this important? Because you can't improve what you don't measure.
When you know what your partners excel at, you can put them in positions to succeed. When you know what they struggle with, you can suggest training materials or sales techniques to increase success.
You're probably wondering, "Which metrics should I track?" We have a few ideas:
Activation Rate: The percentage of partners who reach a specific milestone in your partner onboarding process. Ideally, this number will be close to 100%.
Time-to-First-Deal: The time it takes a new partner to close their first deal.
Content Engagement: The percentage of partners who use your sales collateral in the sales process. (Can also refer to the percentage of customers that consume sales content throughout the sales process.)
Partner-Sourced Revenue: The amount of revenue your partners generate for your company. Try to measure this on a partner-to-partner basis.
Step-by-Step Framework to Launch a Partner Enablement Program
It doesn't matter if your title is "partner sales manager," "partner development manager," or something else. You can use this simple, step-by-step partner enablement framework for your SaaS company. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Define Your Partner Personas
Start by categorizing your partner types. Said types might include resellers, referral partners, managed service providers (MSPs), and tech alliances - or all of the above.
Every partner type has different needs, goals, and enablement touch points. By separating them, you'll be able to customize your onboarding flows, content, and metrics. The result? More prepared partners who drive more revenue.
For example, Introw users often build partner-type-specific experiences to boost sales. When this happens, their partners tend to close more deals in less time.
With other tools, this would be almost impossible. Our users would have to hire a team of developers to make it happen. Thanks to Intro's no-code flow builder, partner managers can quickly build individualized flows for every partner type.
Step 2: Align Enablement Goals With Revenue KPIs
If you judge partner success by "activity" you'll be disappointed in the outcome.
Your partner enablement strategy should map to specific pipeline, activation, and revenue goals. Think: time-to-first-deal, partner-sourced pipeline, or deal velocity.
Time-to-First-Deal: The time it takes a new partner to close their first deal
Partner-Sourced Pipeline: Leads and sales a partner generates for your brand
Deal Velocity: The speed at which a partner negotiates and finalizes a sale
Introw integrates seamlessly with Salesforce and HubSpot. As a result, the mutual action plans (MAPs) you create inside Introw, as well as the deal tracking tools you use to monitor partner performance, appear directly inside your CRM account. No manual data entry is needed, which saves time and reduces errors.
Step 3: Build an Always-On Enablement Hub
Next, create a centralized resource hub that partners can access at any time.
Your resource hub should include product details and training, sales playbooks and guides, deal registration links, and anything else your partners need to make sales.
This is important: Allow partners to view, download, and use resources without a login. The best partner enablement strategies meet partners where they work. Forcing them to remember another password creates unnecessary friction.
This is easy to do with Introw. Our platform standardizes off-portal access, which means users can speak, teach, and otherwise engage with their partners via email or Slack. These conversations are then synced to their CRM for future reference.
Step 4: Operationalize Key Workflows
Now you need to create and implement partner-oriented workflows.
What does this look like? It depends on your unique business and the objectives you want to achieve with your partner program. But here are a few ideas:
Automate lead and deal registration
Automatically send MAPs for timely review
Setup notifications to streamline co-selling activities
Receive notifications when partners contact your team
These things will help you and your partners stay aligned on goals. And because so much of it will be automated, the potential for human error is almost zero.
Take Introw, for example. Once you're set up with our platform, deal registrations, MAP approvals, and partner communication will happen natively inside your CRM, not in a disconnected portal. This will streamline your workflows and boost sales.
Step 5: Track Partner Engagement and Optimize
Remember, enablement doesn’t stop after onboarding.
Measure content engagement, response times, deal progression, and follow-up activity. Then use these insights to improve your materials and workflows.
Also, we suggest asking for partner feedback to learn what works and what doesn't. You can then use their advice to optimize processes and ensure mutual growth.
Introw simplifies performance tracking via built-in engagement metrics, Slack nudges, and CRM-linked reporting. In other words, Introw gives you the data you need, inside the platforms you already use. This makes it much easier to optimize partner enablement strategies and processes in real time.
Avoid These Partner Enablement Mistakes
We won't lie to you, implementing strong partner enablement tactics takes time and effort. But you can streamline the process by avoiding common mistakes.
Portal-Only Access: Partners should be able to access enablement content in multiple ways. Restricting them to a password-protected portal is not wise.
Generic Content: While you can't create custom content for every partner, you can tailor content to specific partner types. This is a realistic way to ensure partners have the knowledge and resources to close deals.
Misalignment: Your partner enablement strategy should align with your SaaS company's overarching pipeline and revenue goals. Track metrics that support your objectives. Popular examples include time-to-first deal, partner-sourced revenue, and deal velocity.
No CRM Visibility: The data inside your partner portal, from simple conversations to deal registrations, should be visible in your CRM. That's why you should use a partner enablement tool with seamless integration options.
Final Thoughts: Partner Enablement Is a Revenue Lever, Not a “Nice to Have”
Partner enablement is essential in 2025 - and will continue to be for years to come.
If you support your partners via proper onboarding processes, relevant content, real-time collaboration, and consistent tracking, they'll drive more revenue.
Introw simplifies partner enablement. With our platform, you can build fresh experiences for every partner type, integrate with Salesforce or HubSpot to align on goals, create off-portal content hubs, and track essential metrics.
Sign up for a demo to see how Introw can improve your partner enablement efforts.
Partner onboarding is extremely important. Unfortunately, most SaaS companies fail to onboard partners effectively, which leads to poor relationships and subpar revenue numbers. The good news is, a channel partner onboarding checklist is all you need to improve your onboarding programs. In this article, we outline 10 steps to build a successful checklist for your SaaS brand.
Are you disappointed in your SaaS company's partner program?
You’re not alone. Most companies have confusing onboarding flows, scattered resources, and no clear path to a partner’s first deal. The result? Partners feel lost, engagement drops, and it takes far too long to see any real revenue from your partner program.
Good news: you can fix these problems with a channel partner onboarding process.
Keep reading to learn why B2B partner onboarding matters, how to onboard new partners successfully, and tools to dramatically improve partner performance.
Why B2B Partner Onboarding Matters More Than Ever
First impressions define relationships.
If a partner thinks your SaaS company is unorganized or unsupportive at the beginning of your partnership, they'll keep thinking it until the partnership ends.
An effective onboarding process will improve the partner journey from day one. How so? By ensuring each partner has the training, tools, and support they need.
Put simply, a strong onboarding process will increase partner engagement, boost deal velocity, and reduce churn—all of which will lead to higher revenue numbers.
A 10-Step Channel Partner Onboarding Checklist for 2025
How do you build a partner onboarding program that works?
While we can't make guarantees, the 10-step partner onboarding template below will give the best chance to succeed in this area. Let's dive in…
Step 1: Define Partner Types and Journeys
Every partner is different. This is especially true in regard to partner types.
Referral partners are not the same as reseller partners, who are not the same as tech partners. Each has different goals, and thus, needs different onboarding workflows.
Before you do anything else, understand the partner types your SaaS company works with. Then map out an effective, repeatable journey for each.
Tools like Introw make this easy. Our platform has a no-code flow builder that will help you quickly customize onboarding workflows based on partner types. Just as important, Introw includes automation features to streamline engagement.
Step 2: Share Clear Role Expectations & GTM Alignment
What do you want your partners to actually do?
Should they generate leads for your company's sales team? Should they work with your sales reps to walk prospects through the entire sales process? Should they sell independently via affiliate links? There are plenty of options.
Once you define partner roles, set timelines and key milestones. This will help you monitor partner progress and evaluate partner performance in an objective way.
Note: you don't have to set roles, timelines, and milestones for individual partners in your partner program. Instead, aim to define these things for each partner type.
Step 3: Provide Fast, Flexible Training Access
The best partner onboarding programs include effective training materials.
This begs the question, "What does effective partner training look like?" Simple: effective partner training is bite-sized, asynchronous, and easily trackable.
Bite-Sized: Your partners don't have time for manuals or lengthy videos. Your training materials need to deliver quality information fast.
Asynchronous: Your partners have busy schedules. Asking them to attend training at specific times is unrealistic. Your training materials should be asynchronous so partners can consume content when they have time.
Trackable: Your partners are easily distracted. Your training materials should be trackable. That way you always know where they are in the training process and can keep them on track. This will ensure mutual success.
You might be wondering, "How do I deliver all these training materials?" There are multiple ways, but tools like Introw allow you to store and deliver content at scale. You can also invest in a full-fledged learning management system (LMS) if needed.
One more thing: Avoid gated content at all costs. Your partners aren't leads. Asking them for contact details in exchange for content will only lead to frustration.
Step 4: Set Up Deal Registration and Lead Sharing
Your partners are trained and ready to make sales. Now what?
Now you need to set up deal registration and lead sharing processes. If you don't, your partners won't be able to fill your pipeline with prospects or generate sales.
Every partner that goes through your SaaS company's onboarding process should know exactly how to submit leads, register deals, and receive feedback quickly.
With Introw, users can connect deal registration procedures directly with their Salesforce or HubSpot accounts, which will then provide them with real-time alerts. Introw is also equipped with AI to handle conflict resolution quickly and effectively.
Step 5: Assign Internal Partner Owners
Quick suggestion: take partner relationship management seriously.
How does this apply to the partner onboarding process? Ensure partners have clear points of contact within your SaaS company. Someone they can easily reach out to for advice, product information, and the occasional bit of encouragement
This will lead to better outcomes. Your partners will get the data they need to close deals. And your company will benefit from the revenue said partners generate.
Step 6: Establish Communication Channels
How will you communicate with your partners?
You could handle all partner questions via email. Or create a dedicated Slack channel to share updates. Or invest in some kind of company intranet tool.
As long as your chosen channel is easy for partners and channel managers to use - and allows for asynchronous communication—you should be good to go.
Introw was built with effective communication in mind. Our platform integrates with Slack and replies are auto-synced with Salesforce or HubSpot - no login required.
Step 7: Share Enablement Content
Make sure every partner has access to enablement content within their dedicated partner portal. We're talking about product docs, pitch decks, and case studies.
These materials will help your partners educate customers, make sales, and drive revenue for your SaaS company. As such, they're essential to partner performance.
In an ideal world, your enablement content will be tailored to specific use cases, regions, and/or products. This will make it easier for partners to use the right materials at the right times. The result? Greater business growth. Win!
Step 8: Introduce Mutual Action Plans (MAPs)
We asked you to consider goals and timelines in "Step 2" of this partner onboarding checklist. Now it's time to pursue those goals via mutual action plans.
A mutual action plan, sometimes referred to as a MAP, is a document that describes how you and your partners will achieve specific objectives in a systematic way.
Work with partners to determine goals, steps to accomplish them, and expected timelines. That way you're all on the same page and can pursue objectives together.
Introw users can access MAPS directly inside their Salesforce or HubSpot accounts, which ensures visibility for all parties and promotes strong collaboration.
Step 9: Track Activation & Engagement Metrics
You have to track metrics to build an effective partner onboarding program. The question is, which metrics should you track. Here are the most important ones:
Content Engagement: Has the partner completed the necessary training courses? Have they viewed your enablement content? Top performing partners know these things lead to more sales and success.
Deal Registration: How many deals has the partner registered? At the end of the day, partner success is determined by revenue generated. The more each partner drives, the better—for them and your SaaS company.
Co-Selling Behavior: Are your partners open to co-selling opportunities? Co-selling is a proven way to close deals at a consistent clip. The best partners take advantage to hit their sales targets on a regular basis.
Also worth mentioning, logins do NOT equal success.
You want partners to consume training programs, engage with your enablement content, and register new deals. Simply logging in to your partner portal doesn't drive revenue. As such, the metric doesn't signal a successful partner.
Step 10: Schedule Checkins and Optimize
Finally, schedule ongoing meetings with every partner.
These regular checkins will give you the chance to evaluate partner pipeline, assess partner progress toward goals, and educate partners to ensure future success.
We suggest 30, 60, and 90 day checkins with new partners. That way you can address questions, offer advice, and otherwise make sure your partners have a solid foundation. After 90 days, schedule quarterly business reviews (QBRs) instead.
You should consider incentive programs as well. This will encourage partners to work harder, which will only help to improve your partner program.
The Tech Stack You Need to Automate and Scale Partner Onboarding
As you might expect, the right tech stack can make all the difference when building a strong partner onboarding process. But which platform should you choose for your SaaS company? Look for a tech stack that offers:
A CRM-Native Setup: Make sure your tech stack connects seamlessly to your CRM. That way you don't have to manually transfer data between systems.
Off-Portal Collaboration: Make sure your platform allows you to interact with partners outside of the portal. This will reduce frustration for partners.
No-Code Workflows: Make sure your tool is no-code. That way your team can build new partner workflows in a flash, even if they can't write code.
Partner Engagement Tracking: Make sure your tech stack allows you to track partner engagement metrics. This will help you evaluate and optimize performance.
Modular Partner Flows: Make sure your platform lets you easily customize partner workflows. That way you can tailor each one to a different partner type.
Introw was purpose-built for partner onboarding in 2025.
Our platform integrates perfectly with Salesforce and HubSpot, allows for off-portal collaboration, and includes important partner engagement metrics.
It's also no-code, so you can design custom workflows for every partner type. And you can do it in minutes, even if you've never coded before.
Final Thoughts: Your Onboarding Checklist = Your Partner’s Launchpad
An effective channel partner onboarding process is essential in 2025.
Without one, your partners won't have the information and support they need to generate leads and close deals. This is why so many partner programs fail.
After reading this article, you know exactly how to build an effective partner onboarding process. Just as important, you know what to look for in a partner onboarding tool. Combined, this knowledge will help you grow profits via partners.
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