Partnerships Glossary

Partner-led growth is a strategic growth model driven by external partners who lead key stages of the customer journey. These partners — such as resellers, consultants, affiliates or managed service providers (MSPs) — play a central role in driving revenue, product adoption and positive customer outcomes.

This approach requires intentional investment in partner enablement, such as training, certifications, co-marketing programs and partner relationship management (PRM) tools like PartnerStack. With the right support, partners can effectively position the product, co-sell alongside internal teams and deliver ongoing value — ultimately driving sustained business growth.

Partner-led growth is measured through key partner performance metrics such as partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, pipeline velocity, retention rates and partner activation. This approach is especially practical in B2B SaaS, where trust, technical credibility and ecosystem reach are essential for efficient, scalable growth.

By aligning incentives and equipping partners to deliver meaningful impact, companies turn partners from passive resellers into active, accountable growth engines — expanding market reach and increasing customer lifetime value.

Thought leader partnerships are strategic collaborations between a brand and influential subject-matter experts, analysts or experienced practitioners who hold deep credibility and trust within a particular industry or niche. These partnerships focus on co-creating insightful, educational and authoritative content — such as webinars, whitepapers, LinkedIn content, research reports, industry panels or article series — rather than purely promotional materials.

Unlike traditional influencer marketing, which often emphasizes broad reach or product promotion, thought leader partnerships aim to foster brand authority and peer-level trust among decision-makers. This approach is especially effective in B2B SaaS, where buyers often seek informed, credible perspectives before committing to complex solutions.

Partnering with a respected thought leader can elevate a brand’s messaging, increase audience engagement and strengthen positioning in a competitive landscape. These collaborations also help tap into the thought leader’s audience, grow awareness in specific verticals and shape perception through strategic insight.

Successful thought leader partnerships are built on alignment between the expert’s viewpoint and the brand’s value proposition and often result in content that educates, provokes thought and earns long-term trust.

Performance influencers are a type of influencer — such as content creators or industry experts — whose goals and compensation are driven by specific, measurable business outcomes like clicks, conversions, sales or leads.

Unlike traditional influencers, who are often compensated based on factors like brand awareness or general engagement, performance influencers are evaluated based on data-driven metrics tied directly to return on investment (ROI). Their content is typically targeted, actionable and designed to drive user behavior that translates into measurable results.

Because of this results-oriented approach, performance influencers are valuable in B2B SaaS and other industries where accountability and measurable growth are essential. Brands collaborate with them to achieve goals like accelerating customer acquisition, increasing trial sign-ups or driving product adoption — often within targeted campaigns that include clear key performance indicators (KPIs)..

These influencers often promote products or services through affiliate marketing, tracked referral links or personalized discount codes, enabling precise attribution of their impact on sales or lead generation. Their efforts are typically supported by advanced tracking tools and attribution platforms that provide real-time performance insights.