StickToTheProcess

Rules of Enagement for Referral Leads?

I'm struggling with this one and curious how other organizations are handling it.

I've spent months nurturing relationships with prominent people in a specific industry and now those people want to be set up as referral partners. The problem (in my view) is that, although I have all the time invested in the relationship, any leads coming from them will go to whichever rep is over a particular territory that a company is headquartered.

Is this common across SaaS or am I getting screwed?

😤 Conflict Resolution

😳 Ethics

🗺 Territory

9 comments

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ExtremeVibeChecker44

Arsonist

Inside Sales

What are these referral partners? Are they like channel partners?

Also, why were you nurturing these relationships in the first place? Were you under the impression you'd get the referral $?

StickToTheProcess

WR Officer

We're a startup and don't have anything defined as channel partners. I feel like if I made the connections and built the relationships, I should get the leads from those particular individuals.

ExtremeVibeChecker44

Arsonist

Inside Sales

Sounds logical to me. Things can be fluid in a startup. I'd put together a case and take it to your manager "Hey, I feel like I should get these because of XYZ."

If you knew this was how they'd be allocated though, that's kinda on you you know? Wasted time.

justatopproducer

Politicker

VP OF SALES -US

Yes sounds like it.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Negotiate a deal with leadership before you sign em up.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Channel partnerships are often handled by independent teams. However, in an early-stage startup, the leads often go to the rep that covers the territory of the referred company (however that is defined). This is something to address with leadership and the partners at the time of the agreement.

Sunbunny31

Arsonist

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Bringing in partners is a valuable contribution to your company, so maybe there's something you can arrange with your company leadership regarding potential leads.

Otherwise, yes, this is common practice in orgs. Why wouldn't it be? Your colleagues may also be working actively on those accounts in their territories, and it would be less than ideal for them if their account was handed over to another rep because a partner uncovered a lead and you'd been chatting that partner up off to the side. This is when you work actively with those partners on identifying key accounts in your region you'd like their help getting into and mutually selling. Going through account planning with partners is also an exercise that can be mutually beneficial. If the relationships you've built are as strong as you think, the partners are going to want to work with you and focus on your accounts.

Good luck!

Annonny

Big Shot

Account Executive

We do it as if we get a referral we let the other person know and make a deal..like 50/50 or something...a lot of the time tho we just tell them buy us lunch....our team is pretty good like that.

Upper_Class_SaaS

Politicker

Account Executive

I hear you on the frustration, but it is standard when an org is broken down to territories.