B2B SaaS Partnerships have been treated by many tech companies as primarily a lead generation engine. But what if we shifted that perspective? What if partnerships were about something more – actively contributing to your client’s entire journey of success?
Here’s a framework that’s designed to help B2B SaaS companies move beyond transactional relationships and build strategic alliances and truly drive mutual growth. We call it Client Value Ecosystem Partnership (CVEP).
The CVEP Framework breaks down the client journey into three key phases:
Catalyst Activation: Understanding what triggers a client’s need for your solution – often driven by industry shifts or market pressures.
Solution Enablement: Focusing on the resources and expertise needed to successfully implement and adopt your technology.
Ecosystem Orchestration: Helping clients maximize value, integrate your solution into their broader processes, and achieve ongoing optimization.
For several startups, a Partner is someone who can pass them leads with no investment done from the startup’s side. A free resource. While this can work in scenarios where the Partner’s effort is minimal, and the transaction volume/value/velocity is favorable, a more strategic approach is required for larger and more complex deals.
Think of your ideal client, the best-fit in terms of not just the deal value& velocity but also how that client impacts other functions in your organization. E.g. Support, Accounts Receivable, Marketing and CS etc.
Once you’ve that client in mind, and hopefully a few live examples of those from your existing active client base, draw out their journey from before your first interaction to when they truly get value from your product/service.
As with most things analytical, open up your favourite spreadsheet software and create a table.
Identification Stage
Catalyst Activation / Before
Something that happened in their industry (market, regulations) or ecosystem (customers, partners) that required them to speak with you. What was that change and who are the entities (government orgs, NGOs, private companies) that drove that change?
Your table is starting to take shape with the following columns already added.
+ #
+ Industry Change
+ Industry Change Driver
+ Market Change
+ Market Change Driver
+ Ecosystem Change
+ Ecosystem Driver
Solution Enablement / During
Move back to your best fit client and put yourself in their shoes. What do they need to buy to prepare, use and get benefit from your solution? Think in terms of
- Consultancies: Does your solution enable the best-practices espoused by a big-name management consultancy.
- Infrastructure: Is there any specific hardware (GPUs, Cloud services, IOT devices, scanners) that are required for your solution to work, or to further enhance its functionality?
- Software: same question as above
- Manpower: is there a specific skillset that’s required to operate your solution, or to enhance it further?
- Anything else that doesn’t fit in the above categories
For the relevant categories listed above, add them as columns in your spreadsheet.
Ecosystem Orchestration / After
Once they’ve your solution in place, how does the client continue to get value and amplify it further. Think in terms of
- Additional software
- Manpower
- Anything else that doesn’t fit in the above categories
For the relevant categories listed above, add them as columns in your spreadsheet.
Start to fill in this table. You may not have all the answers for all the categories on day 1 and that’s perfectly fine. Still fill in those rows and leave the blanks so that you know what information gaps still need to be filled in.
The “During” phase categories should be the easiest to fill in for most companies. But stopping at the easy things will be an injustice to the true potential of your partnership program. It’s important to understand how your clients get true value from the initiative of which your solution is but a part, regardless of its importance and size.
Prioritization
The next things to do is to prioritize based on your own goals (revenue, market access, solution stickiness, credibility, logo acquisition etc.) as each type of potential partner will have their own pros & cons. The possible partners in the “Before” stage will suffer from bureaucratic red tape and internal competition & politics and for those reasons are likely to be the slowest to convert. The “During” stage are more likely to be more transaction and quid-pro-quo oriented which would make them slightly quicker to decide on a yay or a nay.
Value Proposition
For each partner type and stage, the value proposition will be different & needs to be carefully drafted.
Execute & Learn
After the identification, prioritization and value proposition activities, it’s now time to test the waters. Validate your assumptions through outreach and having conversations. Outreach requires continuous learning and adaptation, whether it’s cold or warm, whether to prospective customers or partners.
Other elements to consider, and perhaps to expand on in the future are around internal alignment (team, KPIs, systems, processes) and ensuring continuous partner productivity (contracts, incentives, co-selling etc.).
Cheat Sheet
This framework focuses on identifying partners who contribute to your client’s holistic value journey – from initial awareness to ongoing amplification. It moves beyond simple lead generation and emphasizes strategic alignment within the broader ecosystem.
| CVEP Terminology | Description & Focus | Typical Partner Types | Key Metrics |
| Catalyst Activation | Identifying the external forces and influencers that prompt a client to seek solutions. Understanding what changes in their industry, market, or ecosystem create the need for your product. | Industry Analysts, Regulatory Consultants, Market Research Firms, Influencer Networks, Associations | Partner-Driven Awareness (Website Traffic, Social Mentions), Lead Source Attribution |
| Solution Enablement | Focusing on the resources and services required to successfully implement, integrate, and utilize your solution. This includes technical infrastructure, expertise, and best practices. | Technology Integrators, Cloud Providers, Consulting Firms (implementation specialists), Training Providers, Hardware Vendors | Implementation Success Rate, Time-to-Value, Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) during onboarding |
| Ecosystem Orchestration | Identifying partners who help clients maximize the value of your solution and integrate it into their broader business processes. This is about ongoing optimization and expansion | Strategic Consultants (process optimization), Data Analytics Providers, Advanced Integration Specialists, Complementary SaaS Solutions | Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), Expansion Revenue, Net Promoter Score (NPS) |
Key Principles:
- Client-Centricity: The framework revolves around the client’s journey and value realization.
- Ecosystem Thinking: Partnerships are viewed as integral components of a larger ecosystem.
- Value-Based Prioritization: Partner selection is driven by their ability to contribute to the client’s overall success, not just lead generation.
Summary
This isn’t about finding the easiest partners; it’s about identifying those who can genuinely contribute to your client’s success and amplify their value. It requires deeper understanding, strategic alignment, and a commitment to building long-term relationships.
This approach unlocks a new level of partnership potential – one that’s centered around the client and driven by shared value.