Noun
[saylz pipe·line]
A sales pipeline is a marketing model for understanding the steps and opportunities in a sales process. It is represented visually as a a vertical bar broken into the various different stages of the sales cycle. It is used to summarize through an easy to understand visual representation, all the deal opportunities available to a sales or partnerships manager. The sales pipeline is an important tool used to project revenue and determine leaks or bottlenecks in the sales process.
There are seven widely accepted steps in a sales pipeline: prospecting, lead qualification, meeting and demo, proposal, negotiations, closing the deal and retention.
Not to be confused with a sales funnel, the sales pipeline tracks data around deals, while the sales funnel focuses more specifically on leads. The two terms are often used interchangeably, though they represent distinct sets of data.
Example: A sales pipeline is a helpful tool within a sophisticated CRM that helps serve sales teams in growing revenue.
Noun
[seg·muhnts]
Segmentation is a useful tool for categorizing partners within your partnership program. Segments are based on one or a combination of many tags. You can provide various segments with personalized attention in the form of specific engagement campaigns, educational resources, enablement events, or reward schemes.
Common ways to segment your partners include: By type of organization (e.g. universities, agencies, SaaS companies), job role (e.g. consultants, students, influencers), by loocation (e.g. North America, LatAm, and EMEA), by partnership tier (silver, gold, and platinum tiers — where higher sellers get a larger revenue cut).
Example: Using PartnerStack's platform, you can leverage the data around your existing partner base to create segments.
Strategic partnerships are relationships between two entities (most commonly two companies) with overlapping or complementary products or services that aim to achieve a mutually beneficial result. Strategic partnerships are also commonly referred to as an alliance or joint venture.