How can you ensure your partners feel appreciated?

Setting comms cadence early on in the relationship is important to showing you are committed to the process. We all have limited bandwidth, so knowing you have set opportunities to not only communicate constructively but show your appreciation goes a long way. Informal comms can also be a great way to build trust and appreciation. A simple impromptu coffee and a catch up can encourage open and honest conversation, and lead to an increase in value and trust.

I believe that consistent communication is crucial in any partnership. Regular updates, active listening, and genuine engagement foster trust and understanding, creating a supportive environment where both parties feel valued and appreciated.

Communicating regularly with partners is pivotal in ensuring they feel valued and appreciated. Establishing a routine, such as weekly or bi-weekly check-ins, helps maintain a consistent flow of communication. This regularity keeps both parties informed and engaged. In response to significant events or achievements, sharing relevant articles or resources can demonstrate attentiveness and investment in the partnership. Furthermore, taking an interest in your partners on a personal level deepens the relationship. This could involve discussing non-work-related topics, celebrating personal milestones, or simply showing genuine interest in their well-being.

I think the best way to show that anyone is appreciated, including partners, is to really listen to what they say including their needs... and follow through on commitments. Help them with their business success. For Channel Partners, a gated portal with a lot of rellevent and easily used tools has been welcome. I even invited contributions from them (though my Team did a quick review), When we had User Group meetings, invite them to help plan and contribute. A good meal when meeting f2f, like at a traded show, is usually welcome!

In a mature partnership, you will have public channels (eg. Slack) where you can call out top referring partners in-front of their peers and thank them for their support. Other than that, nothing beats financial incentivisation. Consider adding a SPIFF program to your partnership, where referring partners are remunerated for sending you new business. This can be via pre-paid VISA vouchers (which can be claimed on Amazon, Uber etc.), or cash via PayPal. Example strucure: - $50 for their first referral - $100 when the referred brand moves onto a trial

Treat them as a prospect with sincere listening and empathetic behaviors. Engage at a cadence and meeting length to what they need and to their schedule and accept changes readily. Then listen, take action, and follow up. Our partners are our customers with a huge multiplier. It’s easy to say “let’s meet every other Monday and we will go over the forecast”, yet to grow the relationship and business, work towards trust and respect and ask not say “What can I/we do to help you in our partnership and your success”

You can express appreciation by implementing a rewards program, acknowledging your partner's contributions. For instance, recognition events, or even extra vacation days for outstanding performance can motivate and make them feel valued. This tangible recognition reinforces their efforts and cultivates a positive and appreciative atmosphere in the partnership.

Incentives, discounts and rewards are important. No question about it. I prefer to emphasize what matters most: the value delivered. Remember that getting new partners is relatively easy; what matters most and is most difficult is keeping the partner active over time. This comes through human factors such as relationship, and vertical factors such as product/service. If the Partnership will deliver value to the stakeholders and customers, incentives will be just a side dish.

Firstly - Have a clearly defined partner incentive plan. Ensure that it understood by the partner. If you are building it from scratch involve partners in the process to create a robuts plan. Second is visibility ensure that the partner has visibility in terms of a dashboard to see how they are progressing towards their goals and rewards.

Fornecer feedbacks mensais sobre como realizar, dar b?nus, descontos e comiss?es s?o a chave para que o profissional se sinta favorecido.

Things I’ve found that work: - never go to bed angry with each other - say sorry early, even if it was not your fault - don’t leave the toilet seat up - happy wife, happy life

One key way to share success stories is to include specific users and quotes, which personalize the narrative and add authenticity. Highlighting real experiences, challenges overcome, and the tangible benefits enjoyed by users makes the success more relatable and credible. It's not just about statistics and outcomes; it's about human stories and voices. Featuring these personal testimonials in various formats like videos, blog posts, or social media updates can significantly amplify the impact. This approach not only showcases the effectiveness of the partnership but also builds trust and engagement with a wider audience, demonstrating the real-world impact of your collaborative efforts.

We have a dedicated 'Friends & Advisors' newsletter that touches on recent collaboration with partners and thank you for any ways they've been helpful.

As you see success stories, share them. Build case studies, and leverage pr to drive communication around the sucess story to enable an influx of new partners

It’s fundamental for partners to understand that they were pivotal and the win, as well as the client being set up to succeed and scale. It's essential to express genuine gratitude, acknowledge their specific contributions, and share the credit. Communication is key – let them know their efforts were crucial to the success you've had in a quarter, YTD etc, reinforcing the idea that it's a SHARED accomplishment. Lastly, find ways to circulate these wins to the wider network, such as social posts and newsletters, that can then be used to drum up business for your partners. It's not a codependent relationship, after all. Partnerships mean both sides are winning, together!

This one is sooo important! Partners have a unique and differentiated view of the wider market, and your organization would be missing a big opportunity by not soliciting their feedback and suggestions: on your product, partner program, competitive strategy, etc. This also will ensure your most valued partners feel an extra sense of intimacy with your organization

Some partners are hesitant to share feedback! One thing I've found helpful is asking for it immediately following an interaction or collaboration. I also try to provide the same to our partners, sharing insight about what I've heard from merchants or experienced on calls to help them improve.

Having open and honest feedback is essential for fostering a strong partnership. It is a valuable communication skill that should be practiced in both directions, ensuring effective and meaningful conversations. Actively seek feedback demonstrates our respect, openness, and commitment to their opinions and experiences. It helps them feel valued and in doing so, we tap into their expertise and diverse perspectives, which can bring fresh perspectives and new approaches to our partnership. It creates fertile ground for improvement and helps address any challenges we may encounter. Finally, it allows us to adapt and refine our strategies, processes, and offerings to better align with our partners' needs and business outcomes.

Asking for feedback and suggestions from your partners is key. It's not just about getting their thoughts on your products or services, but also inviting their insights on improving the partnership. This shows respect and commitment to their expertise, helping to enhance your partnership together.

Forne?a sempre feedbacks construtivos regularmente. Além de fornecer, marcar uma reuni?o, ou até mesmo um café para solicitar feedback é outra maneira de se aproximar dos objetivos mútuos. Isso n?o apenas destaca o que está funcionando bem, mas também oferece insights sobre áreas de melhoria. O feedback construtivo é uma ferramenta valiosa para o crescimento mútuo e destaca o compromisso com a qualidade contínua.

An example of showing appreciation is by backing your partner. We did this by publicly sponsoring one of their initiatives. Part of that was hosting an event for them at a beautiful venue in London which we actively promoted on LinkedIn and other social media channels. It helped raise their profile (and ours) and strengthened our relationship. A win-win situation!

Physical events and all online co-marketing activities (e.g., webinars) are all opportunities to strengthen the relationship with the partner. On the one hand, working on a shared project allows you to get to know each other better and contaminate each other positively; on the other hand, getting the results of the effort enhances the energy of the partnership.

If there is an option referral revenue share, offer your company’s rev share to go towards a marketing development fund for use with that agency. You can reinvest this into events and other nurture efforts with that partner. This is a great way to continue to literally invest in valuable partners!

Organizing events and activities for your partners is a great idea. Mix formal events like workshops or webinars with informal ones like lunches or happy hours. This creates networking and learning opportunities, and also adds a fun element. It's a brilliant way to build a sense of community and strengthen your bonds.

Criar grupos de trabalho para que haja respeito e favore?a o networking do grupo. O objetivo é criar oportunidade para que seus parceiros fa?am networking.

Apart from the suggestions above (which are table stakes) share the limelight. Not all partners will merit equal stage time / exposure (and they shouldn’t, or the message gets diluted) but for the most strategic and important relationships, ensure you both look like leaders in the space where you’re trying to make a difference. If entering the partnership ensures 1+1=3 not just for you but also for your partner, they won’t forget it - and will likely find more ways to grow your joint endeavor.

Express Gratitude: Regularly express your gratitude for their efforts. Active Listening: This demonstrates that you value their thoughts and opinions. Celebrate their successes, whether big or small. Quality Time: Spend quality time together. Encouragement: Offer words of encouragement and support. Respect: Show respect for their opinions, even if you disagree. Remember Special Occasions: Remember and celebrate special occasions Apologize When Necessary. Open Communication: Keep communication channels open. Collaboration: Work together as a team. Celebrate Differences: Appreciate the differences between you and your partner. Remember, consistency is key when it comes to making your partner feel appreciated.

Understand that partnerships are about deepening your relation to ensure there is a win-win-win scenario for you, your partner and the end customer. When you create the partner program ensure that is fusion of values and alignment in terms of outcomes between the organisations. That solves the first hurdle in building partnerships. Lastly have empathy but never let someone take you for a ride promising castles built on clouds. Take time to evaluate and revaluate each partnership at everystage