What counts as influence
Influence needs a specific action with evidence, taken while the opportunity was open. Typical examples:
- Introducing a decision maker or economic buyer
- Joining a demo, discovery or technical call
- Providing a customer reference from a shared client
- Scoping or quoting implementation services
- Co-presenting the proposal or business case
A partner listed on the account who did nothing on this deal does not count. Neither does a joint webinar the buyer attended months earlier, which belongs in marketing attribution instead.
How it differs from partner-sourced revenue
Partner-sourced revenue comes from deals the partner created. Influenced revenue comes from deals that already existed when the partner got involved. Sourced revenue shows whether partners find new customers. Influenced revenue shows whether partners help your existing pipeline close faster or bigger, which is the main goal of co-selling.
Report the two separately and give each deal only one attribution type. That way the totals can be added without counting any deal twice.
How to track it
Add an attribution type field and an influencing partners field to your CRM deal record, and log the touch with a date and a short note on what the partner did. Review influence claims at close, not months later. The partner-sourced vs partner-influenced guide has the full field setup and attribution rules.
Example
A rep at Fjord Analytics creates an opportunity with Atlas Logistics in March after an inbound demo request. In April, account mapping shows Atlas is a client of Cobalt Consulting, and Cobalt introduces the rep to Atlas's head of finance, who signs off on the budget.
Atlas signs a $40,000 contract in May. Because the opportunity existed before Cobalt got involved, the deal is recorded as partner-influenced, with Cobalt listed as the influencing partner and the introduction logged on the deal. Cobalt earns the program's flat $1,000 influence payment rather than the sourced referral fee.