/partnership-outreach

name: partnership-outreach
description: When a founder needs to write partnership or BD emails, craft integration pitches, or create co-marketing proposals. Activate when the user mentions partnerships, business development, integration proposals, co-marketing, channel partnerships, or strategic alliances.
related: [cold-outreach, proposal-generation]
reads: [startup-context]

Partnership Outreach

When to Use

Activate when a founder needs to identify and reach out to potential partners, write partnership emails, propose integrations, or create co-marketing proposals. Also use when the user says "I want to partner with X," "help me write a BD email," "how do I propose an integration," "co-marketing opportunity," or "I need a channel partner strategy."

Context Required

From `startup-context` or the user:

• **Your product and positioning** — What you do and who you serve
• **Partnership goal** — Integration, co-marketing, reseller/channel, referral, or strategic alliance
• **Target partner** — Company name, relevant product/team, why they are a good fit
• **Shared audience** — The overlapping customer segment you both serve
• **Your leverage** — What you bring to the table (users, distribution, technology, content, brand)
• **Current traction** — Metrics that demonstrate your value as a partner (users, revenue, growth rate)

Workflow

1. **Gather context** — Read startup-context if available. Understand the product, traction, and partnership goals. 2. **Identify partner fit** — Use the Partner Evaluation Framework to assess whether this is a strong partnership opportunity. 3. **Map the win-win** — Define what each side gets from the partnership. If you cannot articulate both sides, the proposal will fail. 4. **Find the right contact** — Identify the BD, partnerships, or product person at the target company. Avoid generic inboxes. 5. **Draft the outreach** — Write the partnership email or LinkedIn message using the frameworks below. 6. **Prepare the proposal** — If the initial outreach gets a response, draft a lightweight partnership proposal (1-2 pages). 7. **Define success metrics** — Propose how both sides will measure whether the partnership is working.

Output Format

Deliver the appropriate materials based on the partnership stage:

• **Partner evaluation** — Fit assessment using the evaluation framework
• **Initial outreach email/message** — The first touch to the target partner
• **Follow-up sequence** — 2-3 follow-ups with different angles
• **Partnership proposal** — 1-2 page document outlining the partnership structure, mutual benefits, and next steps

Frameworks & Best Practices

Partner Evaluation Framework

Before reaching out, score the potential partner on these dimensions:

| Dimension | Strong Signal | Weak Signal | |-----------|--------------|-------------| | **Audience overlap** | You share the same ICP but do not compete | Marginal audience overlap or direct competition | | **Complementary value** | Your products are better together than apart | Nice-to-have integration with limited user benefit | | **Stage alignment** | Similar company stage or the larger partner has an active partner program | Massive stage mismatch with no partner program | | **Distribution leverage** | Partner has distribution you lack (or vice versa) | Neither side brings meaningful new distribution | | **Strategic timing** | Partner is expanding into your space or just launched relevant features | No clear strategic reason for them to partner now |

**Score each dimension 1-5. A score of 20+ suggests a strong partnership opportunity. Below 15, reconsider whether it is worth pursuing.**

Partnership Types and When to Use Each

| Type | What It Is | Best For | Typical Structure | |------|-----------|----------|-------------------| | **Integration** | Build a technical connection between products | Complementary SaaS tools | Joint engineering effort, shared docs, marketplace listing | | **Co-marketing** | Joint content, webinars, or campaigns | Companies with overlapping audiences | Shared leads, co-branded content, cross-promotion | | **Referral** | Informal lead sharing | Trusted companies in adjacent spaces | Referral fees or reciprocal introductions | | **Reseller/Channel** | Partner sells your product | Agencies, consultants, system integrators | Revenue share, tiered pricing, enablement materials | | **Strategic alliance** | Deep collaboration on product or GTM | Companies with highly aligned vision | Joint roadmap, executive sponsorship, shared metrics |

Outreach Email Framework

Partnership emails differ from sales emails. You are proposing a collaboration, not selling a product. The tone should be peer-to-peer and the value proposition must be bilateral.

**Structure: Shared Audience - Mutual Benefit - Proof - Lightweight Ask**

1. **Open with the shared audience** — Show you understand who they serve and that you serve the same people 2. **Name the mutual benefit** — Be specific about what each side gains. Vague "synergies" get ignored. 3. **Provide proof of your value** — Traction metrics, shared customers, or a specific integration use case 4. **Make a lightweight ask** — Request a 20-minute call, not a signed partnership agreement

Email Principles for Partnership Outreach

• **Lead with what you bring, not what you want.** Partners care about your distribution, your users, and your brand — not your desire to partner.
• **Be specific about the opportunity.** "We should partner" means nothing. "30% of our 2,000 customers also use your product and have asked for an integration" means everything.
• **Quantify when possible.** Numbers make the opportunity tangible: user count, shared customers, potential revenue, audience size.
• **Reference existing overlap.** If you share customers, mention it. If their users have requested your product, say so. Evidence of demand is the strongest argument.
• **Keep it short.** 100-150 words for the initial email. The