"Let's run ads together" is where most partner marketing goes to die.
Every partner has budget to spend, and their marketing lead is measured on spending it. We are measured on one thing: a paying client.
So before any creative, we ask for the part only the partner has, which is intent. Who has already talked to their sales team about this exact problem? What stopped them from buying?
A document download that goes straight into a nurture flow is not a lead. It's a name someone has to chase.
Warm list, known objections, one owner. Then we spend.
What should you ask a partner before running joint campaigns?
| Question | The usual proposal ("let's run ads together") | What we ask first |
|---|---|---|
| Goal: What is a win? | Spend the quarter's budget. More campaigns, more downloads. | The first paying client. One. Everything is measured against that. |
| Accounts: Who have you touched? | "Our audience is 40,000 security professionals." | Which accounts has your sales team already talked to about this exact problem? Not the category. |
| Objections: What did they say? | Not tracked. "They weren't ready." | The objections your reps heard. Those go into the ads first, so the campaign answers them before the call. |
| List size: Is it 300+? | "We have a quote list." About 50 names. | 300 minimum, or the platform won't run a matched audience. Under that it's a call list, not a campaign. |
| Profiles: Can we see 5? | A CSV of downloads, personal emails, mixed roles. | Five sample profiles. The security leader, not their marketing team. Name and title is enough. |
| Owner: Who picks up? | "Send them to the form." Then nurture. | One named person on their side who answers within a day. No owner, no campaign. |
What are the terms before any budget is spent?
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gate | 6/6. All six answered. Then we build: warm list, known objections, one owner, then spend. |
| Budget on the table | $12K = 3 months × $4K. Enough to find out. Not enough to waste on a cold, mixed audience. |
| Success in month one | 1–3 meetings, not clicks. We don't count downloads or visitors. A person on a call about the product, or nothing. |
Why isn't a content download a lead?
A document download that goes straight into a nurture flow is not a lead. It's a name someone has to chase. The only thing a partner has that we don't is intent. Ask for that first.