The Channel Incentive Playbook: 6 Strategic Steps to Design a High-Impact Partner Program
Partner programs can boost revenue, extend reach, and deepen loyalty – but only if they’re well-designed. The truth is, many channel incentive programs fail not because of poor intention, but because of poor execution, lack of strategic alignment, little to no audience communication, or complexity.
In a recent expert roundtable hosted by Brightspot, three powerhouse voices in the channel space came together to break it all down:
- Kerry Grimes, veteran channel executive and former Chief Partner Officer with 20+ years at global tech giants
- John Lindsley, seasoned telecom and software leader who’s architected high-performing indirect sales channels
- Michael Butler, VP of Sales at Brightspot and longtime champion of motivation-driven growth strategies
They’ve launched, scaled, and refined incentive programs that actually move the needle. And now, they’re sharing the blueprint.
Whether you’re launching a new program or revitalizing an existing one, this playbook gives you the strategic foundation you need to build a channel incentive program that drives results and proves ROI.
Step 1: Align Your Executive Team Around a Channel Strategy
A successful channel program begins with one key ingredient: executive buy-in. Without full alignment at the top, even the most compelling partner strategies will fall flat.
Start here:
- Gain leadership commitment to indirect sales as a core part of your go-to-market model.
- Define where and how partners will add value, whether it’s through resell, co-sell, service delivery, or demand generation.
- Get clarity on your routes to market and ensure partners are part of that vision.
Pro Tip: You can’t scale a channel program from the bottom up UNLESS it’s supported from the top down.
Step 2: Map Your Ecosystem and Segment Your Partners
To scale with intention, you need to understand who your partners are and how they fit into your customer coverage model.
Actions to take:
- Segment your customer base and overlay your partner network.
- Define roles for each partner type (resellers, integrators, MSPs, consultants, etc.).
- Build a partner value proposition that clearly answers: How do they make money with us?
Friendly Reminder: Treat segmentation like a blueprint – this informs which partners you recruit, how you train them, and most importantly, how you reward them.
Step 3: Build Incentives That Motivate Behavior (Not Just Sales)
Incentives should encourage partners to adopt the behaviors that matter most – not just reward closed deals. Whether it’s lead gen, enablement, cross-sell, or new logo acquisition, define what matters and reward it.
Effective incentive design includes:
- Tiered goals to motivate across A/B/C performers
- Points-based systems that reward actions like training or pipeline generation
- Flexibility to recognize non-traditional contributors (engineers, BDRs, technical consultants, etc.)
ROI Insight: Programs that target mid-level performers (A.K.A the “middle 60%”) can generate up 5% performance gain, yielding 70% more revenue on average than it would from your top performers according to the Sales Executive Council.
Step 4: Incent the Right People, Including Reps and Partner Organizations
One of the biggest mistakes in channel programs is rewarding only the partner company – not the individuals doing the selling. Ultimately, you want to reach the partner sales rep level.
Here’s how:
- Structure your incentives to flow through partner organizations but reward individuals directly.
- Use incentive platforms to track, engage, and communicate 1:1 with reps.
- Don’t forget the “quiet influencers” like inside sellers, SEs, solution architects, and other behind-the-scenes contributors.
Pro Tip: Recognize contributions beyond the transaction. Influence matters just as much as execution.
Step 5: Use Data to Measure, Optimize, and Scale
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. From deal registration to sales rep engagement, tracking is essential to prove ROI and optimize your strategy.
Measure success with:
- Revenue growth (of course), but also…
- Rep productivity (P) x Rep quantity (Q)
- Program participation and engagement levels
- Partner performance and potential (not just historical revenue)
Framework Insight: Look beyond “which partners produce” and focus on “which reps produce” – this is your force multiplier.
Step 6: Use Travel Incentives to Build Loyalty and Drive Growth
Many top-performing companies use travel incentives not just as a reward, but as a strategic relationship-building tool. It’s more than a vacation – it’s a lever to retain high-performers, build executive alignment, and differentiate your partner experience.
Why it works:
- Travel motivates across tiers, not just top performers.
- Rewarding year-over-year growth levels the playing field for newer or smaller partners.
- Events create one-to-one executive access that deepens loyalty.
Stat to Know: According to the Incentive Research Foundation, 88% of top-performing companies use group travel to motivate performance.
Final Advice: Start with the Outcome and Reverse Engineer the Program
Before you launch anything, define the outcome you want to achieve – growth, reach, retention, cross-sell, etc.- and work backwards to identify:
- Who you need to motivate
- What behaviors matter
- How you’ll measure success
- What incentives actually inspire action
Ready to Build a Program That Drives Real Results?
Channel incentives shouldn’t feel like guesswork and they certainly shouldn’t be a line item with no return.
Let Brightspot help you unlock the full potential of your partner network with smarter design, better engagement, and a results-driven strategy.
Connect with our incentive experts and get a custom strategy to take your program to the next level.
Want More Insights?
Watch the full Channel Incentive Playbook recording for behind-the-scenes strategies, real-world examples, and expert takes you won’t want to miss.
