This is a summary of the Nearbound guide and serves as an introduction to your understanding of deploying Nearbound. We recommend downloading the guide in order to fully understand Nearbound and how you can implement it.

Phase 1: Onboard Partners

Welcome to Chapter 3, where we delve into the critical role of management in the Partnerships Team. In this phase, we focus on onboarding partners and solidifying a formal and repeatable process. By creating a solid foundation for partnership onboarding, leaders can set the stage for successful collaborations. Let’s explore the key activities involved in this phase:

1. Create templates for your IC’s outreach:

Standardization is key when introducing new technology and concepts to partners. By developing templates for partner outreach, leaders can ensure consistent messaging and alignment across the team. These templates may include introducing the concept of account mapping, explaining its value to partners, outlining the steps for easy setup, and clarifying expectations regarding data access and usage.

2. Set the OKRs:

To drive focus and clarity, leaders must define clear objectives and key results (OKRs) for the partnership onboarding process. By aligning the implementation of account mapping solutions with team and company goals, leaders create a sense of purpose and direction. Establishing metrics for tracking team usage and performance is essential, and working closely with the operations team to ensure accurate activity tracking.

3. Build V1 training curriculum for objection handling:

Partners may initially be cautious about sharing their data, especially if they are new to the technology or have concerns about privacy and security. As a leader, it is crucial to equip individual contributors (ICs) with the skills and knowledge to handle objections effectively. Develop a comprehensive training curriculum that addresses common objections and provides strategies to build trust with partners. Focus on creating a supportive and comfortable environment that encourages partners to share information confidently.

By diligently addressing these activities, leaders pave the way for a successful partnership onboarding process. Through clear communication, standardized templates, goal alignment, and effective objection-handling training, leaders can establish trust and cooperation with partners, setting the stage for fruitful collaborations.

Phase 2: Dig Into the Data

Welcome to Phase 2 of Chapter 3! In this phase, we will explore the critical task of digging into the data to set the management plan for successful partnership initiatives. By leveraging data insights, leaders can make informed decisions and develop strategic actions. Let’s dive into the key activities involved in this phase:

1. Build sections of the account mapping playbook(s):

As a leader, it is essential to create comprehensive account mapping playbooks that serve as a guide for partner managers. Design and conduct introductory data review calls with partners to gather valuable information. During these calls, focus on discovery topics such as partner CRM hygiene, understanding opportunity stages, account allocation, and collaboration expectations. Capture these insights and document them in the account mapping playbook(s).

2. Determine how to assess account mapping data:

To effectively analyze the account mapping data, outline a clear process for evaluating different segments or populations. Define how partner managers should assess partner customers, prospects, opportunities, and their intersection with your own customer base. This structured approach will provide clarity and consistency when interpreting the data.

3. Understand Partner Manager’s findings:

Engage in structured one-on-one sessions with partner managers to review their findings from Phase 2. By identifying and prioritizing opportunities and next steps, you can develop a deeper understanding of the partnership landscape. These discussions will serve as a foundation for strategic decision-making.

4. Build the six-month plan:

Utilize the real statistics gathered from Phase 1 to construct a comprehensive six-month strategic plan. Align the capabilities of the account mapping solution with the set of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to ensure progress toward desired outcomes. Determine what success looks like after six months, setting realistic expectations and milestones.

5. Develop value narrative:

Craft a compelling “value narrative” that highlights the internal advocacy for account mapping and its benefits. Frame the opportunity for your peers in sales and customer success leadership by emphasizing why they should care and prioritize this initiative. Recognize that this approach may require explanation and patience, and outline strategies to garner their support and reinforce the desired behaviors within their teams.

6. Reinforce the give-first mentality:

As a leader, it is your responsibility to foster a give-first mentality within your team and partnerships. Emphasize the importance of long-term engagement and bi-directional value creation. While others may focus on short-term gains, guide your business toward sustainable success by prioritizing meaningful collaboration and consistent activity, which ultimately leads to revenue generation.

By diligently executing these activities, leaders can harness the power of data to shape their management plan. The insights gathered from partner interactions and the development of a clear value narrative will drive alignment and engagement across the organization. 

Phase 3: Share the Insights

Welcome to Phase 3 of Chapter 3! In this phase, the primary objective is to build trust in your process by sharing valuable insights with leadership and team members. By effectively communicating the benefits and expectations of the account mapping initiative, you can garner understanding, advocacy, and support. Let’s delve into the key activities involved in this phase:

1. Join partner calls with each of your reps:

Collaborate with your partner managers and join partner calls with each of your sales representatives. By following the Tell, Show, Observe, Coach framework, you can ensure consistency and provide guidance during these initial partner interactions. Keep detailed notes on the call dynamics, partner questions, objections raised, and areas for improvement. These insights will inform future iterations of the playbook and help enhance the effectiveness of the partnership engagements.

2. Decide which sales manager/team to roll out the initiative to first:

Based on the account mapping data and your analysis of sales representatives, identify the sales manager or team that would be the best fit for piloting the account mapping initiative. Consider their receptiveness to change and their current situation. Reach out to the chosen manager, schedule a discussion, and allocate time to explain the process, set expectations, and highlight the reasons for selecting them to participate in the pilot. Building trust with this person is crucial for successful implementation.

3. Build V1 training documents for direct sales leadership and ICs:

To prepare key sales leaders and individual contributors (ICs) for embracing the account mapping motion, and develop lightweight training documents and assets. Keep the training materials simple and concise. Include essential information such as an overview of your partners, the value of selling with partners, the benefits for the sales team, and what to expect in the near term. This baseline training asset will equip sales leaders and ICs with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the partnership approach.

By engaging in these activities, you establish open lines of communication, promote collaboration, and foster trust among leadership and team members. Sharing insights, participating in partner calls, and providing training materials enable others to grasp the value and potential of account mapping. 

Phase 4: Take Action

Welcome to Phase 4 of Chapter 3! In this phase, the primary objective is to build the activity and attribution framework, allowing you to track and measure the behaviors that contribute to successful outcomes in your partnership efforts. By incorporating trackable moments and leveraging data-driven decision-making, you can demonstrate the value of your partner program to leadership. Let’s dive into the key activities involved in this phase:

1. Define your call types and track activity:

Ensure that you have created a comprehensive playbook for partner calls, as well as a coaching framework for your partner managers. Once these are in place, focus on tracking the different types of calls your team is conducting. Similar to direct sales processes, it’s important to monitor the success and outcomes of these calls. Consider incorporating the following suggested call types into your process:

– Partner Manager 1:1 with partner

– Partner Manager 1:1 with Account Executive (AE)

– Partner Manager and AE with partner

– AE 1:1 with partner

2. Build call dispositioning into CRM with your ops team:

To effectively evaluate the impact of your partner managers’ calls, work with your operations team to establish a standardized practice of call dispositioning in your CRM. By categorizing and documenting the outcomes of each call, you can gain insights into the effectiveness of the conversations and the willingness of partners to engage with accounts. Some examples of call dispositions for account mapping include:

3. Build an attribution framework with your ops team:

Collaborate with your operations team to develop an attribution framework that allows you to attribute prospect and customer accounts to specific partner interactions. Define categories for attribution and establish rules of engagement for partner co-sell deals. This framework will provide clarity on which accounts are being discussed and enable you to measure the impact of partner involvement in driving revenue and business outcomes.

By implementing these activities, you create a structured approach to track partner activities, measure their effectiveness, and attribute results to the appropriate interactions. This data-driven approach will not only satisfy leadership’s need for tangible insights but also help you optimize your partner program and make informed decisions.

Phase 5: Measure, Coach, Iterate

Welcome to the final phase of Chapter 3! In Phase 5, the primary objective is to establish a standard of excellence within your partnerships team. This phase focuses on measuring performance, providing coaching and guidance, and iterating on your processes to drive continuous improvement. Let’s explore the key activities in this phase:

1. Define your coaching cadence:

As a leader in partnerships, it’s crucial to invest time in training and coaching team members across various functions within the organization, including sales, customer success, marketing, and product. Define a cadence and frequency for coaching sessions on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. This ensures regular communication, feedback, and skill development to foster continuous growth within your team.

2. Ensure enrollment and commitment:

Enrollment is vital for the success of your account mapping process. You want your team members and internal leaders to be fully enrolled and committed to leveraging the partner ecosystem to drive growth. Avoid assuming that discussions and meetings alone indicate true commitment. Work on getting sellers and sales leadership to embrace and embed these partnership motions into their coaching cadence.

3. Set clear and realistic expectations:

In the measurement and coaching process, it’s important to establish clear and realistic targets for your team to strive for. These targets should provide a sufficient sample size for assessment and allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of your processes across reps and partners. Quantitative goals may include partner meetings held, joint meetings conducted, accounts reviewed, pipeline created, installed integrations, and assets/documents built. Additionally, be fair in setting revenue targets, considering factors such as sales cycles, compensation plans, and your level of integration within partners’ go-to-market strategies.

4. Iterate based on data and feedback:

Use data and feedback from your team members, partners, and other stakeholders to drive iteration and improvement. Regularly review performance metrics, gather insights from coaching sessions, and adapt your processes accordingly. Continuously refine your account mapping playbook, training materials, and coaching techniques to enhance the effectiveness of your partnerships program.

By focusing on measurement, coaching, and iteration, you establish a culture of excellence within your partnerships team. Clear expectations, regular coaching sessions, and continuous improvement efforts will lead to better outcomes, increased alignment with company goals, and enhanced collaboration with your partners. Remember to celebrate successes along the way and maintain open lines of communication with all stakeholders. 

By following the five phases—Onboard Partners, Dig Into the Data, Share the Insights, Take Action, and Measure, Coach, Iterate—we have established a solid foundation for building and nurturing successful partnerships. From defining repeatable processes to fostering trust, setting expectations, and driving continuous improvement, this chapter has equipped us with the knowledge and tools to establish a standard of excellence within our partnerships team. As we move forward, let us apply these insights, adapt our strategies, and continue to foster strong collaborations that drive growth and success for our organization and partners.

There’s much more information available on how to implement this strategy. We recommend downloading the Nearbound guide, reading it fully, taking notes, and determining your 2-3 actions that you will take to start implementing this. Nearbound is your path to the promised land and out of the economic challenge. Nearbound will help you stop selling on hard mode and market much more efficiently.