You're a Partnerships Manager with a packed schedule. How can you stay productive?

I feel for partner teams at fast-growing startups and scaleups. You have to juggle onboarding and enablement while also trying to prospect and activate the right partners… My suggestions to you the partner manager who’s out of time: 1. Get your partners talking to each other, forming Circles, and helping each other. This is something HubSpot is so good at, they no longer need CAMs. Introduce partners who sell to the same ICP. Incentivize partners to host workshops about your product. 2. Tell your sales and CS teams to add a crm field for what agencies or consultants each customer works with. Spiff them to fill out the field. And of course, reach out when you get your zapped slack alert about a new field fill for that partner.

Many times a partnership professional will have a packed workload, requiring prioritization in order to avoid burnout. Methods I've used in the past: Eisenhower Matrix: - Urgent and Important: Address these tasks immediately. - Important, but Not Urgent: Schedule time for these to prevent them from becoming urgent. - Urgent, but Not Important: Delegate if possible. - Not Urgent and Not Important: Consider dropping or postponing. Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule): - Identify the 20% of tasks that contribute to 80% of your results. - Focus on these high-impact tasks first. Eat That Frog: - Tackle the most challenging task first each day. - This builds momentum for the rest of the day.

I stay productive by using tools like calendars and apps to keep things organized. I make a to-do list and focus on the most important tasks first. Quick breaks help me recharge, and I keep in touch with my team regularly. Simple tricks like these make my hectic schedule more manageable and keep things running smoothly!

As a Partnerships Manager juggling lots of tasks, being productive in channel partnerships is about managing time wisely and talking clearly. Figure out which jobs are most important, set goals you can really achieve, and use tools to work together easily. Keep checking in with your partners regularly to keep good connections, and share the workload when you can. Stay ahead by being ready for changes in the industry and being flexible in your plans. This way, your work really helps your partnerships succeed.

Being a busy Partnerships Manager means juggling a lot, but staying on top in channel partnerships is about smart time management. First things first, list out your main goals and deadlines. Keep an eye on your schedule and tweak it as needed. Use tools to keep tasks organized and communicate well with partners. If you can, share the workload by delegating tasks and focus on the stuff that really moves the needle for your goals. Check in on how your partnerships are doing regularly, find areas to improve, and keep learning about what's happening in the industry. Stay ahead by staying organized and informed.

In terms of scheduling and coordinating your meetings with partners, I've suggested to my team the idea of having meeting-free Fridays to assist them in managing their weekly schedules. I've personally noticed that dedicating at least one day to focused work and catching up enhances my productivity. Also, having that day off from meetings gives me a more relaxed start to the week. Internally, we use Notion to keep track of meeting notes, projects, and all things related to company documentation, which is an excellent tool for those items. However, I prefer using Asana when it comes to task management.

Each day should have a reflection of how you moved the needle towards revenue. "My day in revenue" this will constantly focus on actions that move the needle and how you need to modify your day tomorrow. Further, having focus blocks or no meeting days throughout the week will greatly help because of the number of stakeholders needed to be engaged within partnerships. Lastly, starting your week with a review of what you want to accomplish and what would make a successful week (example X partner referrals, Y partner recruitment emails sent, etc.) will help you organize your week and FOCUS!

Use a calendar management tool to ensure you aren't overbooked and leave time open for deep work. Time block for focus period. Stick to the schedule even when the time block has no other attendees. Use breaks and rewards to work through procrastination and blocks.

I always strive to optimize my productivity and deliver high-quality results. I have a clear routine that allows me to focus on different aspects of my role throughout the day. In the morning, I work on creating engaging presentations, developing effective strategies, conducting thorough analysis, and reaching out to potential partners. In the afternoon, I dedicate my time to video calls and meetings with existing partners, where I communicate our value proposition, negotiate contracts, and resolve issues. I also keep track of my progress and performance with weekly check-ins, where I review my goals, achievements, and challenges.

I continue to use excel and the primary CRM provided. Tools like agile and conflict management systems have helped me more than new age stuff, not that I have not tried… Being proactive with your calendars and habit-stacking has helped with cadence…

Unpack it - remember the 80/20 rule The odd week you'll be packed, and can't avoid it But 80% of your weeks should not be slammed, and you'll need to be ruthless in your prioritization Does THIS meeting or activity directly support me hitting my goals and/or my team/company hitting its goals If no, cancel and move on

Clarity, effective two-way communication, setting expectations, and being willing to collaborate are the effective elements of a partnership. Conversations with key actions at the end of each conversation to take from each side are important so everyone can track what's been done and what's still in progress.

Use templates for communication. Have a set flow for repeating business processes (partner onboarding, deal registration, cadence and review). If you write something more than once, create a template.

The Magic Glue: Let's face it, clear and timely communication is the foundation of any successful partnership. We leverage collaboration platforms like Slack and set clear expectations around response times to keep everyone in the loop. But communication goes beyond words. We also proactively share updates, successes, and challenges to build trust and prevent misunderstandings. Remember, a partner informed is a partner empowered! Transparency fosters trust and encourages future collaborations. Also openly discuss any challenges encountered and work together to find solutions, ensuring a smooth and productive partnership journey.

Prioritize your goals. Plan your week. Communicate effectively. Automate and delegate. Review and improve. Here's what else to consider.

Use a partnering-specific tool like Superglue. Set up workflows and automation sequences. Delegate where you can. Say no to busywork.

When you read "partnerships automation" you should think "Superglue." It is THE tool to use for automating important partnerships tasks. Some examples are: automating messages to sellers, automating information surfaced to partner managers on active overlaps/deals with partners, and reminders to prompt people to engage on partner activities.

Now more the ever as a Partnership Leader you will scale and be most effective once you deploy and leverage an AI enabled strong CRM platform. No need to spend cycles on which one to use and be trained on, simply start with the appropriate level of license at Salesforce and grow!

I may be biased, but Zapier and Hubspot aren't designed for managing partners. Partner management differs from sales, so it's vital to explore tools specifically built for partnership data and use cases. This could include a PRM like Magentrix, a hyperscaler marketplace listing tool like Tackle, an account mapping tool like Reveal or Crossbeam, or a partner activation and co-sell orchestration tool like Superglue.

Imagine those boring, repetitive tasks like emails and reports as energy-sucking monsters! Embrace the power of automation using awesome tools to shoo the monsters away, saving our time and brainpower for the good stuff. This means more time to chat with partners, brainstorm cool ideas and build partnerships that benefit everyone. Think of it like sending automatic welcome emails to new Shopify partners, giving them a smooth start and freeing you up to build real connections. It's all about ditching the mundane and focusing on what truly matters!

Data is king 👑 Therefore a solid setup on your HubSpot reporting and dashboarding is key. This will give you proper insights into what is happening commercially. To extend further We use Databox to tab in other sources like socials, CMSs, ERP, and WMS info. If you have an Ops team, leave this to the pros. Data engineers and operations teams are way better in setting this up and will give you way more insights on what's going on with all the numbers than any commercial canon can do.

In my experience delegate tasks when possible, establish and stick to a routine, and take regular breaks to recharge and maintain focus. Additionally, effective communication and time management skills are key to staying productive in a busy role.

Regularly review your processes and outcomes. What's working well? Where can improvements be made? This constant reflection and refinement are key to evolving and optimizing your approach over time.

I understand the importance of staying productive and delivering value to both my organization and my partners. From my perspective, I use to track metrics such as cold oureach goals, proposal sent, signed partnerships, co-marketing activities and feedback tools to measure my results and identify areas for improvement. I also reflect on how to optimize my work methods and routines, and implement best practices and innovations that can improve my productivity and quality. I also set new goals and action plans for myself and track my progress and results over time. From partners’ perspective, I solicit their feedback and input, and understand their challenges and opportunities.

Don't just "set it and forget it" kind of people! Continuously learn and adapt to create thriving partnerships. Think of it like Zoom and Dropbox's collaboration. They analyzed user data and partner feedback, realizing both platforms benefited from seamless file sharing. This insight led to a deeper integration, boosting user satisfaction and driving growth for both companies. Regularly analyzing metrics, like engagement and partner feedback, helps identify areas for improvement, iterate on strategies, and refine the partnership engine. It's all about learning and adapting for success! Remember, progress thrives on adaptation!

Share your templates. Ask others for their's. If you want some templates that drive revenue with sales and marketing teams to increase partner attach and partner sourced revenue, reach out to me. I'm templates-obsessed!

Consult with those who have prior experience. Although information isn't widely available, many people have tackled this before. I'm also willing to share my own insights.

Other useful hints: - Automate your workflow to keep your partners informed, productive, and on-brand. - Optimize your partnerships with data-driven decisions and insights. - Create commission strategies that align with partner value and incentivize self-managed performance.

If this is not in your primary CRM via integrations to a PRM, your company might have failed you. Sorry. If you are the CxO and reading this, bring in new age PRM tools early.

- Self-Care: Don't overlook your well-being. Take breaks, recharge, and ensure a healthy work-life balance. A refreshed mind contributes significantly to productivity. - Flexibility: Embrace adaptability in your plans. Unexpected challenges and opportunities may arise, requiring you to pivot and adjust your priorities. - Continuous Learning: Stay abreast of industry trends and new tools. A commitment to continuous learning keeps you agile and equipped to tackle emerging challenges.