partner-blueprint

Partner Blueprint (BRIDGE Framework)

Engineer partnership strategy from identification through activation. Partnerships are a multiplier, not just a channel.

When to Use

• Building partner/channel program from scratch
• Evaluating specific partnership opportunity
• Designing co-GTM with existing partner
• Expanding into new geography via partners
• Platform/ecosystem strategy

What You'll Need

Critical inputs (ask if not provided):

• Your product and target market
• Partnership goals (reach, credibility, technology, revenue)
• Current partner landscape (if any)

Nice-to-have:

• Battle Scanner output (competitor partnerships to counter)
• Market Analyzer output (segments needing partner reach)

Process

Step 1: Partner Landscape Mapping

Identify candidates across 6 categories:

Category	What They Offer	Examples
Technology	Integrations, platform plays	CRM, cloud providers, data platforms
Channel/Reseller	Reach into new segments/geos	VARs, MSPs, regional resellers
Co-marketing	Audience sharing, content collab	Complementary SaaS, media partners
Implementation	Consulting, deployment, training	SIs, boutique consultancies
Strategic/OEM	Embedded, white-label	Enterprise platforms, industry solutions
Community/Ecosystem	Developer communities, associations	Open-source projects, industry groups

Step 2: BRIDGE Scoring (per partner candidate, 1-10 each)

Dimension	What It Measures	Scoring Guide
Business-fit	Strategic alignment of customers and goals	1=no overlap, 5=partial, 10=perfect alignment
Reach	Incremental access to markets you cannot reach alone	1=same audience, 5=some new, 10=opens new markets
Investment	Required time, money, engineering (inverse)	1=massive investment, 5=moderate, 10=minimal
Dependencies	Risk of dependency (inverse)	1=total dependency, 5=balanced, 10=no risk
Growth-potential	Can this scale? Network effects?	1=one-time, 5=linear growth, 10=exponential
Execution-readiness	Team, processes, motivation to execute now	1=not ready, 5=needs work, 10=ready to go

BRIDGE Score = (B x 0.20) + (R x 0.20) + (I x 0.15) + (D x 0.10) + (G x 0.20) + (E x 0.15)

• 7.5+ = Activate (pursue immediately)
• 5.0-7.4 = Develop (invest in relationship, plan for future)
• Below 5.0 = Monitor (not worth active investment now)

Step 3: Mutual Value Proposition Design

For each Activate partner:

• What they get: Technology, content, brand association, revenue share
• What we get: Distribution, credibility, access, technology
• Joint customer value: Why is 1+1 > 2?
• Revenue model: Referral fee, rev share, co-sell, embed, marketplace

Step 4: Co-GTM Plan Template

For each activated partner:

• Joint messaging and positioning
• Co-marketing activities (webinars, content, events)
• Technical integration roadmap
• Sales handoff process and rules of engagement
• Success metrics and review cadence (monthly/quarterly)

Output

Save to outputs/partner-blueprint-[YYYY-MM-DD].md

Deliverables:

1. Partner Landscape Map: Categorized candidates with BRIDGE scores
2. Partner Scorecards: Detailed assessment per top-10 candidates
3. Mutual Value Propositions: Value exchange documents per partner
4. Co-GTM Playbooks: Joint go-to-market plans for activated partners

Chain Connections

• Next skill: Run community-catalyst to design PLG and community programs
• Also feeds: launch-command (partner readiness is a launch gate), demand-engine (co-marketing expands channels)
• Enhanced by: Run after battle-scanner (competitive landscape reveals partnership opportunities)