Partner Sign-or-Pass Review and 90-Day GTM Plan
Get a partner sign-or-pass recommendation, defensible revenue-share terms, and a measurable 90-day joint GTM plan.
Before & after
Same prompt, same agent — the only difference is the skill.
Partnership evaluation is pretty nuanced. You'll want to understand what they're actually bringing to the table—is it real demand or just hunting for better margins? You'd look at their customer base, their sales capability, your margin story, and what you'd both commit to jointly. Reseller deals are common but you need to be careful not to undercut your direct sales or end up with a partner who doesn't really move the needle. What's their track record and why do they want to partner?
PARTNERSHIP EVALUATION: Reseller Opportunity PARTNER PROFILE Company: Regional systems integrator Annual revenue: 45M Customer base: 200 mid-market clients (manufacturing, logistics) Prior SaaS partnerships: 3 active (Salesforce, HubSpot, Workday) Motivation: Diversify revenue, respond to customer demand for analytics DEMAND VALIDATION SIGNALS Independent demand indicators: • Specific customer name drop? Yes (3 named prospects) • Unsolicited approach? Yes (contacted via LinkedIn) • Urgency timeline? Yes (wants pilot in Q3) • Win-back references provided? Yes (contacted Salesforce partner manager) Partner tier classification: RESELLER (with potential for co-selling) TIER CHARACTERISTICS • Revenue share: 25% (vs direct margin: 70% gross margin) • Joint go-to-market: Light (no co-marketing commitment) • Support model: First-line support from reseller • Discount on product: 40% off list price FINANCIAL MODELING REVENUE PROJECTIONS (illustrative, 2-year outlook) Year 1 conservative: 6 customers → 72K ARR @ 25% margin = 18K revenue to us Year 1 optimistic: 18 customers → 216K ARR @ 25% margin = 54K revenue to us Year 2 conservative: 12 customers → 144K ARR = 36K revenue to us Year 2 optimistic: 40 customers → 480K ARR = 120K revenue to us COMPARISON: Direct sales path Investing in 1 sales rep + support → 80K cost, potential 400K ARR, 280K margin Reseller path has lower cost, higher margin risk JOINT GTM PLAN (90 days) • Week 1-2: Partner training (2 days) • Week 3-4: Co-selling pilot (reseller brings 2 qualified leads) • Week 5-8: Reseller runs pilot with customers • Week 9-12: Partner feedback + contract terms finalization KILL CRITERIA (underperformance escalation) After 6 months: • If <4 paying customers: Renegotiate or end relationship • If <60% customer satisfaction: Increase direct support requirement • If customer churn >25%: Pause new customer adds, investigate quality After 12 months: • If ARR <80K and not trending up: Wind down partnership • If support tickets >30% of volume: Tighten SLA or compensation RISKS & MITIGATIONS 1. Channel conflict (they undercut direct sales): Mitigation: Specific geography lock (Midwest only for 18 months) 2. Customer support quality: Mitigation: Joint support desk + SLA monitoring 3. Margin compression (they ask for bigger discount): Mitigation: Performance-based tiers (better discount if 15+ customers annually) 4. Cannibalization: Mitigation: Track direct pipeline in their accounts (exclude from partner territory) NEXT STEPS 1. Schedule 2 reference calls (Salesforce + HubSpot partnerships at target company) 2. Run financial model under 3 scenarios (conservative/base/optimistic) 3. Draft 12-month agreement with kill criteria + escalation path 4. Board approval on geographic allocation + margin terms RECOMMENDATION Proceed to pilot phase. Low-risk entry point (geographic lock), clear kill criteria, and proven partner track record warrant 90-day test.
About this skill
A prospective partner wants a discount, revenue share, or a strategic alliance, but what will they actually bring? Turn that pitch into a sign-or-pass decision grounded in buyer evidence, contribution economics, and commitments both sides can be held to.
What it does
- Classifies referral, reseller, OEM, SI/consulting, and strategic-alliance arrangements by the work each party performs.
- Separates credible independent demand from existing-pipeline claims and requests for preferential pricing.
- Calculates partner contribution, direct-sale opportunity cost, and the revenue-share ceiling your assumptions support.
- Defines payment basis, account attribution, renewal rights, and earned commercial privileges.
- Builds a 90-day joint GTM plan with owners, buyer-facing activities, evidence gates, and a resource ceiling.
- Sets conditions to expand, hold, downgrade, or exit before the agreement is signed.
What you get
A decision memo with the recommended partner model, proposed commercial terms, transparent calculations, and a 90-day operating plan. For a quick question or pasted proposal, you get the relevant verdict and changes without an oversized report.
Best for
Startup founders, heads of partnerships, and business development leads reviewing an inbound partner pitch, reseller proposal, OEM arrangement, or strategic alliance.
SKILL.md preview
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name: partner-sign-or-pass-review-and-90-day-gtm-plan
description: >-
Evaluate prospective partnerships by testing independent demand, classifying each party's commercial role, comparing partner contribution with direct-sale alternatives, and defining earned terms and a 90-day joint GTM plan. Use when the user says "should we sign this partner", "what partner tier should they get", "is this revenue share too high", "review this reseller proposal", "build our 90-day partner plan", "our partners keep asking for discounts without bringing deals", or "when should we end this alliance".
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# Partner Sign-or-Pass Review and 90-Day GTM Plan
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