Noun

[ko-mish-un struk-tchur]

A commission structure is how a company compensates partners based on the revenue they generate for the business. Partner programs pay partners based on the sales they close, the traffic they drive, or the qualified leads they send to the program. The commission structure defines how much a partner is paid for those actions and how much that pay increases with increased revenue generated.

Partner programs should strive to develop a commission structure that is compelling and progressive. A compelling structure with appealing rewards can help drive interest and signups for your program, and a progressive commission structure continues to adequately reward high-performing partners for their share of revenue driven. Note that commission structure usually varies between partner types; affiliates who drive leads may earn less commission per lead, whereas resellers who have more hands-on involvement in the whole sales process usually would earn more.

Example: Reid's partner program paid affiliates 15% of the value of their leads generated and resellers 35%. His commission structure then increased the share paid for high-performing partners sending many leads and closing many sales.

Noun

[kuhs-tuh-mer loi-uhl-tee proh-gram]

A customer loyalty program is an organized system that allows a company to reward customers for their engagement. The company may offer incentives to customers who promote their brand on social media and in real life, refer business, and perform other activities that are beneficial to the brand. In return, the customers may receive points, swag, conference tickets, gift cards, or other rewards.

Many B2B software vendors understand that their customer base is one of their greatest untapped marketing and sales resources. By encouraging happy customers to share their positive experiences with their peers, vendors can leverage customers as a low-cost, highly effective marketing channel. For example, customers may receive points that can later be redeemed for rewards by referring new business. Or customers may receive cash incentives when they generate new deals that close.

Also known as customer advocacy programs.

Example: As ChamomileCorps’ #1 fan, Refika told all her entrepreneurs friends that the software was a must-have and had saved her a great deal of time and money. Since she received 500 points on ChamomileCorps’ Cham-pions program for every referral, by the end of the year, she had received enough points to redeem them for a brand new iPad.