As a digital marketing agency, that partnering with a SaaS provider can significantly impact what you are promoting’s growth and success. By offering additional services and leveraging modern tools, you may expand your portfolio and generate more revenue.
However, with so many SaaS partner programs on the market, selecting the right one for your agency can take time. In this text, we are going to enable you navigate this decision by outlining the key steps to consider when evaluating partner programs. We’ll also look closely at a few of the best SaaS partner program examples on the market immediately.
How to select the right SaaS partner program
There are several elements most good affiliate partners and integration partnerships share. The most significant ones are:
- assessing the profit-sharing model offered by the referral partnership program
- ensuring the SaaS business you concentrate on partnering up with is reliable and trustworthy
- checking for possible co-marketing resources and opportunities
- receiving specialized customer assistance and/or a dedicated account manager out of your SaaS sales partner
- enabling access to marketing and sales enablement materials and training
- offering certification programs to grow your credibility
By rigorously evaluating these against what you are promoting goals, it is best to have the ability to select the best SaaS company to partner up with. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at each of those.
Step 1: Evaluate the Profit-Sharing Model
When assessing a SaaS partner program, it’s essential to consider the profit-sharing model. Look for a program with a competitive commission structure to maximize your revenue. The commission percentage and payment frequency are crucial aspects to consider when comparing different programs.
Say your digital marketing agency signs up for Company A’s SaaS partner program, which offers a 20% commission on customer lifetime value. You refer a client to Company A’s email marketing software, for which they pay $50/month. You earn 20% of this fee for so long as the client continues to use the service ($10/month), leading to $60 in commission after 6 months. You increase your commission earnings by referring more clients and providing additional services. This is a revenue-sharing model.
Other popular sorts of commission models utilized in partner programs are:
- Cost per Acquisition (CPA): partners earn a hard and fast commission for each latest customer they refer to the service.
- Cost per Click (CPC): partners earn a hard and fast commission for each click generated by their referral links.
- Cost per Lead (CPL): partners earn a hard and fast commission for each qualified lead they generate. A professional lead is frequently defined as a possible customer who has expressed interest in the service and provided their contact information.
- Tiered Commission: partners earn different commission rates based on the variety of referrals they generate. For example, a partner may earn a ten% commission for their first 10 referrals and a 15% commission for all additional referrals.
- Flat Rate Commission: partners earn a hard and fast commission for each referral, no matter the revenue generated by the customer.
You need to estimate which sort of commission model will work particularly well for your specific case and select the partner program accordingly.
Step 2: Assess Value and Trust
Choose a SaaS partner program from a reliable provider with a proven track record in the industry. Investigate the company’s history, customer base, and overall fame to ensure they will offer the level of service your agency requires.
Partnering with a trusted provider will ensure a smoother collaboration and a better likelihood of success.
Step 3: Seek Co-Marketing Opportunities
Access to co-marketing resources can significantly profit your agency. Look for partner programs that provide marketing support and opportunities to collaborate on projects and reach more potential customers with joint webinars, reports, and ebooks. These efforts can enable you generate more leads and expand your agency’s reach.
Step 4: Ensure Transparent Communication and Technical Support
When partnering with a SaaS company, transparent communication, and dedicated technical support are essential. Ensure the partner program offers dedicated support services for product onboarding and any required technical knowledge.
Having a dedicated partner manager and/or a couple of broker partnerships agents helps you tell a very good SaaS partnership program from a median one. This will ensure seamless integration of the latest service into your agency’s operations and minimize potential roadblocks.
Step 5: Access to Marketing Content and Training
Another sign of a successful SaaS partner program is when latest partners gain access to exclusive partner content and ongoing training. For example, your SaaS partner can offer branded sales assets to enable you highlight your cooperation, construct strategic alliances, and reach more customers.
This will enable your agency to stay up-to-date with industry trends, best practices, and product developments, ensuring optimal service for your existing customers.
Step 6: Consider Certification Programs
Certification programs will help your agency gain credibility with clients and higher understand the product your tech partners are offering. Consider a partner program that lets certified partners display their expertise and commitment to providing the absolute best service.
This is especially essential for agency partners, who may cooperate with several SaaS corporations with various referral partnerships and affiliate partners.
Top 5 SaaS partner programs
Pay close attention to the steps outlined above, and you may make an informed decision when choosing a SaaS partner program. Remember that every partner program offers unique benefits and features, so analyzing which aligns best together with your agency’s goals and requirements is crucial.
The ideal partner program should enable you generate more revenue and supply the mandatory support and resources to fuel your agency’s growth and success.
With all that in mind, listed here are a few of the best SaaS partner programs on the market.
GetResponse MAX Partner Program
GetResponse MAX offers a competitive commission structure with up to 50% commission customer lifetime. With over 20 years of experience in the market, GetResponse has proven to be a reliable email marketing and marketing automation provider. They offer co-marketing opportunities, dedicated sales and onboarding specialists, exclusive partner marketing content, and partner certification courses.
Best for: Digital marketing agencies in search of high commissions, co-marketing opportunities, and comprehensive partner support.
Limitations: GetResponse MAX’s partner program may require a big time investment to complete partner certification courses and fully leverage the co-marketing opportunities offered by the provider.
HubSpot Partner Program
The HubSpot Partner Program enables agencies to resell and deliver HubSpot’s marketing, sales, and customer support solutions. The program offers a tiered commission structure, extensive training and resources, co-marketing opportunities, and dedicated account management. HubSpot’s partner program is designed to help agencies scale their businesses and supply clients with best-in-class inbound marketing services.
Best for: Agencies looking for a comprehensive inbound marketing solution and SaaS partner support to help grow their businesses.
Limitations: The tiered commission structure may make it difficult for smaller agencies to earn high commissions.
ActiveCampaign Partner Program
The ActiveCampaign Partner Program focuses on marketing automation, CRM, and email marketing solutions. The program offers recurring commissions, a dedicated partner dashboard, partner training, and co-marketing opportunities. ActiveCampaign goals to help agencies grow revenue and supply clients with powerful, personalized marketing campaigns.
Best for: Agencies specializing in marketing automation and email marketing services in search of recurring commissions.
Limitations: The partner program is probably not as comprehensive for agencies in search of a broader range of promoting solutions.
Salesforce Partner Program
The Salesforce Partner Program allows agencies to leverage Salesforce’s robust suite of CRM, sales, marketing, and customer support solutions. The program offers revenue-sharing opportunities, access to extensive training resources, and the Salesforce AppExchange for product integrations. Salesforce goals to help partners construct and grow their businesses by providing world-class solutions and support.
Best for: Agencies looking for an intensive CRM solution and access to a wide selection of integrations through the Salesforce AppExchange.
Limitations: The Salesforce Partner Program could have a steeper learning curve due to the complexity and depth of its solutions.
Adobe Solution Partner Program
The Adobe Solution Partner Program enables agencies to leverage Adobe’s suite of digital marketing and artistic tools, including Adobe Experience Cloud and Creative Cloud. The program offers revenue-sharing opportunities, exclusive partner resources, and training. Adobe goals to help partners create exceptional customer experiences through their robust solutions and support.
Best for Agencies specializing in digital marketing and artistic services, and searching to provide clients with cutting-edge tools.
Limitations: Adobe’s wide selection of solutions may require more time investment for agencies to change into proficient in using their tools.
What is the right SaaS partner program for you?
While all the aspects presented in this text are essential, you’re the just one who knows which matters the most. SaaS partners normally put marketing and sales activities first, making it easy for them to attract latest clients.
However, it can be crucial not to fall for a shiny candy wrapper and punctiliously evaluate the offer before signing up for a reseller partnership. After all, you might be the one representing their product, and your customer success is dependent upon you selecting the best partner ecosystem.
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