Strategy (items 1-3)
- Motion decision documented. Which of the four motions (Referral, Reseller, Tech, SI) is your primary? Why? What is the expected revenue timeline?
- Ideal Partner Profile (IPP) written. Same rigor as ICP. Firm size, customer overlap, geography, capability requirements. 2-3 archetypes max.
- Direct-vs-channel overlay rule decided. Which accounts are direct-only, which are partner-eligible, how does the rule evolve with scale.
Legal and commercial (items 4-7)
- Mutual NDA template ready. Two pages, e-signable, lawyer-approved.
- Primary partner agreement ready. Whichever motion you chose, the agreement template is reviewed and ready to send.
- Commission or margin schedule decided. Specific percentages, payment timing, renewal and expansion treatment.
- Deal registration policy written. For sales motions only. Eligibility, protection period, rejection rationale.
Enablement (items 8-10)
- Partner one-pager. What you do, who you are for, what makes the partnership compelling. One page.
- Partner pitch deck. 15-20 slides, brandable for partner use.
- Demo video and certification path. Even informal — a recorded demo and a one-hour product overview is enough to start.
Operations (items 11-12)
- Named internal owner. Who runs the partner program day to day? With at least 25% of their time committed.
- Cross-program RACI. Who in legal, marketing, sales, CS owns what for the partner program. Without this, the partner motion hits internal friction at every step.
What you do not need before launch
To prevent over-engineering, the things you can defer until you have 10+ active partners: a dedicated PRM tool, a partner portal, a partner advisory board, a full certification platform, MDF policy, partner conferences. Each becomes worth the cost at scale. None are needed to land your first 5-10 active partners.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to complete this checklist?
2-4 weeks for a focused team. The templates in the Partner Operator's Library handle most of the document work; the harder items are the strategic decisions.
Can I launch with fewer than 12 items?
You can, but each missing item becomes a credibility hit with early partners. The 12 items are not arbitrary — each addresses a specific gap that derails early-stage programs.
What if I do not have a Chief Partner Officer or VP Channel?
You do not need one to launch. A founder or VP Sales spending 25% of their time on the program is sufficient to land the first 5-10 partners. Hire dedicated leadership when the program produces material revenue.
Is the launch checklist the same for referral and reseller programs?
90% the same. Reseller programs add tier design, certification curriculum, and MDF policy. Referral programs skip those.
What does success look like 90 days after launch?
5+ active partners with at least one closed-won deal between them. Below that, your motion may not be working at your stage; revisit the strategy before adding partners.