How do I build a reseller or channel partner program for B2B SaaS?
Partners can reach buyers you can't. Most programs fail because partners don't know how to sell the product.
- Should we use resellers?
- Which partners?
- How do we pay them?
Start with partners who already serve your buyers: consultants, MSPs, agencies or complementary software. Sign two or three, not twenty. Keep terms simple: referral fee or reseller margin, deal registration and support rules. Give them demo accounts, a short pitch and co-marketing. Track partner deals in your CRM and review quarterly.
Partner types
| Type | How they earn |
|---|---|
| Referral partner | Fee per closed deal |
| Reseller | Margin on the sale |
| Implementation partner | Services revenue |
| Technology partner | Integration and co-marketing |
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We build partner portals, deal registration and CRM tracking.
- Signing everyone.
- Complex terms.
- No enablement.
- Channel conflict.
- A few strong partners.
- Simple terms.
- Demo accounts.
- Deal registration.
What operators and researchers say
Here is what operators say.
Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll build deal registration and tracking.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
What margin do resellers expect?
It varies by market. Ask partners.
Should partners get a portal?
Once you have several.
How do we avoid channel conflict?
Clear deal registration rules.