What a joint business plan includes
Most JBPs cover the same sections:
- Shared goals: what both sides want from the partnership this year, in a sentence or two.
- Targets: partner-sourced revenue, pipeline and number of new customers, broken down by quarter.
- Target accounts or segments: where the partner will focus and why.
- Marketing: co-marketing campaigns, events and content, with owners and dates.
- Enablement: training and certifications the partner's team will complete.
- Investment: what each side puts in, such as headcount, funding or sales support.
- Governance: who owns the plan on each side and how often it is reviewed.
- Risks: what could stop the plan and what you will do about it.
Both sides sign off, usually the partner manager and an executive from each company.
Why it matters
A JBP turns a loose intention into commitments with numbers and owners. Without one, a partnership often rests on goodwill and a few meetings, and neither side can say whether it is working. With one, the quarterly review has something to measure against.
It also forces a conversation about investment. If the vendor expects $500,000 in sourced revenue, the partner can ask what support comes with it, and the vendor can ask how many salespeople the partner will put on it.
Example
Cobalt Consulting, a top-tier reseller, agrees a JBP with its software vendor for the year. The plan sets a target of $400,000 in partner-sourced revenue, $100,000 per quarter, from mid-market healthcare companies.
Cobalt commits two account executives and three certified consultants. The vendor commits a named partner manager, one joint webinar per quarter and early access to new features. At the first quarterly review, Cobalt has sourced $85,000 and has $240,000 in pipeline. The two sides agree to add a second webinar aimed at the target accounts that have not yet responded.