SaaS (software-as-a-service) partner programs are a systematic way that software companies form mutually beneficial relationships with agencies, influencers, and other companies to drive business results. Partner programs can take many forms, including affiliate marketing programs, referral marketing programs, reseller partnerships, technology partnerships, customer ambassador programs, and distributor partnerships.

Companies rely on partners to help them drive a wide variety of sales and marketing initiatives, including driving traffic to corporate websites, referring qualified leads, and even closing new business deals directly on a company’s behalf. In technology partnerships, many software companies build integrations that allow data and workflows to pass from one system to the next. For example, Vidyard (a video marketing platform) integrates into Marketo (a marketing automation platform). The two companies also engage in co-marketing efforts to help drive qualified leads to one another. 

See also: Channel sales