Partner Marketing
Technology partner
Service partner

Do you ever say no to co-marketing? If so, what signals tell you a partner isn’t quite ready?

2 Answers
Marcin Kowalik avatar
Marcin Kowalik
FOTC Partnership Manager
Signals that tell that partner is not quite ready: - mutually exclusive tone of voice - lack of target audience overlap / common goals - lack of minimum of employees on the side of partner, which should be handling the marketing / sales operations - signals of low efficiency when handling leads / traffic (conversion problems)
Jenny Chaffin avatar
Jenny Chaffin
Salsify Head of Global Partner Marketing
Yes, you can—and absolutely should—say no to co-marketing when it’s not the right fit. Especially when it comes to content, I’m very clear up front: everything is subject to approval. Implementing a partner tiering system can help manage expectations. It clarifies who gets access to co-marketing opportunities and resources, and who might need to prove more value first. When evaluating whether a partner is ready for co-marketing, I ask a few key questions: -Do they have a dedicated point person leading the effort on their side? -Will this be a fair value exchange? -Can they promote the content through their own channels? -What’s their audience size and reach? -Have they seen success with similar campaigns before? These criteria help ensure you're investing your time and resources in partnerships that will actually move the needle.