CMO · Playbook · Intermediate · Saves 45+ hours
Partner Co-Marketing Playbook
A complete playbook for executing co-marketing initiatives with partners - from partner identification to campaign execution to lead sharing.
What's included
- Partner Selection Framework
- Partner evaluation criteria
- Audience overlap analysis
- Resource assessment
- Co-Marketing Models
- Content co-creation
- Joint webinars
- Co-branded campaigns
- Referral programs
- Execution Templates
- Co-marketing agreement template
- Campaign brief template
- Lead sharing protocols
- Performance reporting
- Measurement Framework
- Partner marketing metrics
- Attribution methodology
- ROI analysis
Best used when
- Launching partner marketing
- Scaling partner programs
- Improving partner marketing ROI
- New partnership onboarding
- Partner marketing team training
Why this is Gold
Co-marketing often fails due to poor coordination. This playbook provides the structure for successful partnerships, including templates for the difficult conversations about lead sharing.
The template
The Template
PARTNER SELECTION FRAMEWORK
Partner Evaluation Scorecard
| Criteria | Score (1-5) | Weight | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience overlap | 3x | ||
| Brand alignment | 2x | ||
| Marketing capability | 2x | ||
| Willingness to invest | 2x | ||
| Existing relationship | 1x | ||
| TOTAL | /50 |
Threshold: >35 = Pursue actively, 25-35 = Explore, <25 = Deprioritize
Audience Overlap Analysis
| Factor | Your Company | Partner | Overlap % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target industry | % | ||
| Company size | % | ||
| Job titles | % | ||
| Use cases | % | ||
| Geographic | % | ||
| Overall | % |
Ideal: 50-80% overlap (enough overlap to be relevant, enough difference to access new audiences)
CO-MARKETING MODELS
Co-Marketing Options by Investment
| Model | Your Investment | Their Investment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content swap | Promo effort | Promo effort | Low commitment |
| Co-authored content | 50% production | 50% production | Medium commitment |
| Joint webinar | 50% all costs | 50% all costs | Lead sharing |
| Co-branded campaign | Varies | Varies | Deep partnership |
| Referral program | Commissions | Promotion | Revenue sharing |
CO-MARKETING AGREEMENT TEMPLATE
Key Terms to Define
| Term | Your Commitment | Partner Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Content production | ||
| Design | ||
| Promotion channels | ||
| Email sends | ||
| Paid spend | ||
| Lead ownership | ||
| Lead sharing method | ||
| Timeline | ||
| Success metrics |
Lead Sharing Protocol
| Lead Type | Ownership | Access |
|---|---|---|
| From your promotion | Yours | Share with partner |
| From their promotion | Theirs | They share with you |
| Joint webinar attendees | Both | Both have access |
| Co-branded campaign | Both | Split by source |
Best Practice: Use separate UTMs to track lead source
JOINT WEBINAR TEMPLATE
Planning Checklist
| Task | Owner (You/Partner) | Due Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topic agreement | Both | ||
| Speaker selection | Both | ||
| Promotional calendar | Both | ||
| Landing page | |||
| Registration form | |||
| Email promotion | Both | ||
| Social promotion | Both | ||
| Presentation deck | Both | ||
| Run of show | |||
| Post-event follow-up | Both |
MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK
Co-Marketing Performance Tracker
| Campaign | Partner | Leads | MQLs | Pipeline | Revenue | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | $ | % | ||||
| $ | $ | % | ||||
| TOTAL | $ | $ | % |
Partner Marketing Scorecard
| Partner | Campaigns YTD | Total Leads | Total Pipeline | Effort Rating | Continue? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | High / Med / Low | Yes / No | |||
| $ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Partner Co-Marketing Playbook?
A complete playbook for executing co-marketing initiatives with partners - from partner identification to campaign execution to lead sharing.
Who is the Partner Co-Marketing Playbook for?
It is built for CMOs and their teams working on Demand Generation. The AI coach adapts it to your company, stage, and goals.
How long does the Partner Co-Marketing Playbook take to use?
It saves roughly 45+ hours versus building from scratch. Our AI coach can tailor the playbook to your situation in minutes, then hand you a step-by-step plan.
Is the Partner Co-Marketing Playbook free?
Yes. You can read the full playbook and start getting coached through it for free. Sign in to save your tailored version and track your next steps.
How does the AI coach help with the Partner Co-Marketing Playbook?
The coach teaches you the framework, asks a few questions about your business, tailors the playbook to you, and gives you measurable next steps to execute.