Affiliate and Partner Programmes That Generate Revenue at Scale.
Programme design, partner recruitment, tracking setup and ongoing management. We build the infrastructure that turns your network into a distribution channel that earns while you sleep.
What is a B2B Affiliate and Partner Programme?
A B2B affiliate and partner programme is a structured commercial arrangement in which third parties, including publishers, agencies, consultants and resellers, earn a commission for referring or closing customers on your behalf. Unlike outbound prospecting, partner-driven revenue scales without proportionally increasing headcount: each active partner is an independent distribution channel operating within your defined incentive framework. Koldconvert designs the commission structure, configures the tracking infrastructure, recruits qualified partners and manages the programme ongoing so that partner revenue compounds month over month.
Signs You Need an Affiliate and Partner Programme
- Your best customers came through referrals or word of mouth, but you have no formal structure to incentivise or scale that behaviour.
- Consultants, agencies or tools that serve your target buyers regularly ask if you have a referral arrangement, and you have nothing to offer them.
- Outbound costs are rising and each new rep adds fixed overhead without the leverage that a well-run partner channel provides.
- Competitors in your category are listed on comparison sites and affiliate review platforms that drive qualified traffic you are missing.
- You have tried running a partner programme informally with spreadsheets and manual payouts, but tracking is unreliable and partners lose trust in the arrangement.
Who This Is For
SaaS Companies
Software businesses with recurring revenue benefit most from partner programmes because recurring commission models align long-term partner incentives with customer retention. PartnerStack and Impact.com are built for this motion and integrate cleanly with SaaS billing systems.
Professional Services with Referral Networks
Agencies, consultancies and advisory firms that already receive informal referrals benefit from formalising those relationships with tracked links, clear commission terms and reliable automated payment to convert occasional referrers into consistent partners.
E-commerce Brands Scaling Acquisition
DTC and e-commerce brands that need to diversify beyond paid social can use affiliate programmes to access content publishers, comparison sites and niche community platforms that reach buyers at high commercial intent moments.
Marketplaces and Platforms
Two-sided platforms benefit from separate affiliate programmes for supply and demand sides, and from integration partner programmes that extend reach through adjacent tools and services already embedded in their users' workflows.
What You Get
- Programme Structure DocumentCommission rates, partner tiers, qualifying criteria, programme terms and payout schedule documented for partners and internal stakeholders.
- Tracking Platform ConfigurationImpact.com, PartnerStack, Awin, Refersion or Tapfiliate configured with unique partner links, conversion goals and automated commission rules.
- Partner Portal and Onboarding AssetsPartner-facing dashboard, welcome sequence, promotional assets and brand guidelines so partners can start promoting immediately after approval.
- Recruited Partner RosterVetted and onboarded affiliates, agencies and channel partners who have been qualified against your ICP and confirmed their promotional intent.
- Partner Comms TemplatesRecruitment outreach, onboarding welcome, monthly performance updates and re-engagement sequences for inactive partners.
- Monthly Performance ReportPartner-level breakdown of clicks, conversions, revenue attributed and commission paid, with programme-level trend analysis and recommended actions.
- Programme Governance PlaybookRules of engagement for sales and partner co-existence, fraud prevention protocols and partner tier upgrade criteria.
- Automated Payout SetupStripe or platform-native automated commission payments so partners receive accurate payouts on schedule without manual processing.
What We Build and Manage
Programme Design
Commission structure, tier logic, qualifying criteria and programme terms built around your margins, deal size and sales motion.
Tracking & Platform Setup
Impact.com, PartnerStack, Awin, ShareASale, Refersion or Tapfiliate configured with unique partner links, conversion tracking and automated payouts.
Partner Recruitment
Outreach to affiliates, agencies, consultants and integration partners who already serve your target audience and have incentive to promote your offer.
Programme Management
Ongoing partner communications, asset updates, performance reporting and relationship management to keep top partners active and the roster growing.
The Koldconvert Partner Revenue Engine
Most companies launch affiliate programmes with a platform and a landing page and then wonder why no one joins. Koldconvert starts from the partner's perspective: what does an affiliate or channel partner actually need to promote you successfully, and is your commission structure genuinely competitive for the category? We model commission rates against industry benchmarks and your unit economics before recommending a structure, so you attract quality partners without overpaying. Recruitment is targeted, not broadcast: we identify the specific publishers, agencies and consultants already serving your ICP and approach them with a personalised proposition. Programme health is measured by active partner rate and revenue per partner, not by total signups, which keeps the roster lean and productive rather than inflated with inactive accounts.
How We Launch Your Programme
Design
Define commission structure, partner tiers, qualifying events and programme terms that balance partner incentive with your unit economics and sales team rules of engagement.
Build
Configure tracking platform, create partner portal, write onboarding copy and prepare the promotional assets partners need to represent your brand accurately.
Recruit
Identify and approach affiliates, agencies and channel partners who reach your ICP. Vet quality and promotional fit before onboarding to keep the roster productive.
Grow
Monitor partner performance, reward top performers with higher tiers, re-engage or remove inactive partners and run continuous recruitment to expand programme reach.
Tools & Technology
Impact.com and PartnerStack handle tracking, partner portals and automated payouts for SaaS and enterprise programmes. Awin and ShareASale suit content affiliate and e-commerce models. Refersion and Tapfiliate are recommended for early-stage programmes. HubSpot connects partner-sourced leads to the CRM pipeline. Stripe manages commission disbursements. Notion documents programme governance and partner communications.
How We Work Together
Programme Audit Sprint
A two-week review of your existing referral activity, competitor programme structures and ICP partner landscape. Delivered as a recommended programme blueprint including platform selection, commission model and target partner categories. Ideal for companies that have received informal referrals but have no formal programme.
Programme Build and Launch
Full programme design, platform configuration, partner portal build and initial partner recruitment. Duration: 6-8 weeks from kickoff to first active partners. Includes tracking setup, onboarding assets and first monthly performance report. Fixed-scope project pricing.
Ongoing Programme Retainer
Monthly management covering partner recruitment, relationship management, asset updates, performance monitoring and reporting. Designed for programmes that have launched and need to grow the partner base consistently. Pricing from GBP 2,500 per month.
What Clients Achieve
Benchmark Results for B2B Partner Programmes
Affiliate and Partner Programmes for Your Industry
SaaS & B2B Software
SaaS partner programmes benefit from recurring commission models on PartnerStack that align long-term partner incentives with retention. Integration partners who embed your tool into their own platform are the highest-value partner type for software companies.
E-commerce & DTC
E-commerce affiliate programmes on Awin and ShareASale access a large base of content publishers, comparison sites and deal communities. Commission rates are benchmarked against category averages to attract top affiliates without inflating customer acquisition cost.
FinTech & Payments
FinTech partner programmes recruit financial advisers, accountants and CFO-community publishers who reach the exact buyers most FinTech companies cannot access through paid channels alone. Compliance review is built into the partner content approval process.
Professional Services
Consultancies and agencies benefit from formal referral agreements with complementary firms who serve the same clients. A simple flat-fee per introduction model with reliable tracking converts informal referrals into a consistent, measurable revenue stream.
Media & Publishing
Media companies recruit affiliate partners among newsletter publishers, podcasters and content creators who reach specific audience segments, with revenue sharing structured around subscriptions, events or advertising inventory sold.
Consumer Brands & FMCG
FMCG brands use affiliate programmes to scale product review and comparison content coverage across food, lifestyle and wellness publications that drive purchase intent at higher commercial intent than brand-owned channels.
Healthcare
Healthcare technology companies recruit patient advocacy groups, clinical education platforms and healthcare professional networks as affiliates, with full compliance vetting of all promotional content before publication.
HR Technology
HR tech platforms recruit People consultants, HR community moderators and executive search firms as channel partners who can recommend the platform to their client base within an existing advisory relationship.
EdTech
EdTech affiliate programmes recruit education consultants, teacher communities and professional development publishers who reach institutional and individual buyers actively seeking learning solutions.
Legal Services
Legal technology firms recruit law firm management consultants, bar association publications and legal operations networks as partners, with careful attention to compliance requirements around legal service advertising.
Marketplaces & Platforms
Two-sided platforms run supply-side and demand-side affiliate programmes independently, with different commission structures for each audience type and integration partner programmes that drive platform embeds through adjacent tools.
InsurTech
InsurTech companies recruit insurance brokers, independent financial advisers and comparison platforms as affiliates, structuring commission around policy completions and ensuring FCA-aligned disclosure requirements are embedded in partner agreements.
Koldconvert vs Managing a Programme In-House
| Factor | Koldconvert | In-House Management |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first active partners | 6 weeks from kickoff | 3-6 months while team learns platform and recruits |
| Platform expertise | Experienced across Impact.com, PartnerStack, Awin, Refersion and Tapfiliate | Learning curve on whichever platform is selected |
| Partner recruitment network | Existing relationships with affiliates and channel partners by vertical | Cold outreach to unfamiliar partner ecosystem |
| Commission benchmarking | Rate modelled against category benchmarks and unit economics | Rate set without market context |
| Fraud prevention | Platform fraud rules configured and conversion data audited monthly | Often discovered after losses have accumulated |
| CRM integration | Partner leads connected to HubSpot or Salesforce pipeline from launch | Often tracked in spreadsheets separately from CRM |
| Cost | Retainer from GBP 2,500/month, no full-time hire required | Dedicated partnerships manager at GBP 50,000+ plus platform cost |
"The most common mistake with B2B partner programmes is optimising for the number of partners signed up rather than the number of active, converting ones. A programme with 300 registered affiliates and 12 active ones is not a programme, it is a vanity metric. We measure programme health by active partner rate and revenue per partner from the first month, which forces every recruitment decision to be about quality fit rather than volume. If a potential affiliate cannot clearly explain how they will promote you to their audience and why their audience would buy, they should not be in the programme."
Koldconvert Strategy Team
Questions to Ask Any Affiliate Programme Agency
- How do you determine the right commission rate for our category?A good agency benchmarks your commission rate against competitor programmes in your vertical and models it against your unit economics to ensure sustainability. A weak answer sets a number based on gut feel or what the client asks for without validating it against the market.
- How do you vet affiliates before onboarding them?Vetting should include reviewing the affiliate's traffic sources, audience composition and promotional methods before approval. Mass-onboarding without vetting inflates partner counts and exposes the programme to fraud and brand safety risks.
- How does partner revenue connect to our CRM and sales pipeline?Partner-sourced leads should appear in your CRM with a source field so sales can see the partner attribution and the business can measure partner revenue contribution accurately. If the agency cannot describe this integration, partner pipeline will be invisible to sales leadership.
- What is your definition of an active partner and how do you handle inactive ones?Programme quality depends on the active rate, not total signups. The agency should have a defined threshold, a re-engagement protocol and a policy for removing partners who do not convert after a defined period.
- How do you prevent affiliate fraud and protect our commission budget?Platform fraud rules, suspicious conversion pattern monitoring and regular audits of conversion data are baseline requirements. If the agency does not have a documented fraud prevention approach, your commission budget is at risk from self-referrals and manufactured conversions.
Glossary
- Affiliate Programme
- An affiliate programme is a performance-based marketing arrangement in which third parties earn a commission for referring customers who complete a defined action, such as making a purchase, booking a demo or signing up for a trial. Affiliates promote independently using tracked links provided by the programme operator.
- Partner Programme
- A partner programme is a broader commercial relationship covering resellers, integration partners, agencies and co-marketing arrangements, in addition to or instead of purely commission-based referrals. Partner programmes typically involve deeper onboarding, joint marketing and dedicated partner management resources.
- Revenue Share
- Revenue share is a commission model in which the affiliate receives a percentage of the revenue generated by each referred customer, rather than a flat fee. Revenue share is common in SaaS where it can be structured as a one-time payment on the first invoice or as a recurring percentage for the lifetime of the customer.
- Active Partner Rate
- Active partner rate is the percentage of registered programme participants who have generated at least one qualifying referral or conversion within a defined period, typically 90 days. Active partner rate is a more meaningful programme health metric than total registered partners because it measures real engagement rather than signups.
- Cookie Window
- A cookie window is the period during which a referred visitor's click is attributed to the affiliate if they convert. Standard B2B affiliate programmes use 30-90 day cookie windows to account for longer consideration cycles. Server-side tracking is used where browser privacy settings block third-party cookies.
- Rules of Engagement
- Rules of engagement are documented policies that define how partner-sourced leads interact with the direct sales team, including who owns the relationship, how commission is split when both sales and a partner touch a deal, and what happens when a partner refers an existing customer.
Affiliate and partner programmes, answered
Affiliate programmes pay a commission on referrals, typically to individual publishers, bloggers and niche sites. Partner programmes are broader relationships that include resellers, integrations partners, agencies and co-marketing agreements. Many B2B companies run both under a single partner ecosystem.
We set up tracking via dedicated platforms such as PartnerStack, Impact.com or Awin, depending on your stack. Each partner gets a unique link with UTM parameters and server-side tracking where cookies are unreliable. Attribution is transparent and auditable by both parties.
We identify affiliates who already serve your ICP through keyword research, competitor programme audits and partner databases. For partner programmes we map integration and channel partners in your ecosystem and approach them with a personalised value proposition rather than a generic programme invite.
For B2B, revenue share of 20-30% of the first payment or a flat fee per qualified demo tends to work well. Recurring commission on SaaS is a strong incentive for long-term partner engagement. We model the right structure based on your margins and deal size against category benchmarks.
Expect 3-6 months before the programme generates consistent pipeline. The first month is programme setup. Months 2-3 are partner recruitment. Revenue starts compounding once partners are active and trust that the programme pays reliably and on time.
Koldconvert programme build engagements start from GBP 4,500 for the setup and launch phase, with ongoing management retainers from GBP 2,500 per month. Platform fees for PartnerStack or Impact.com are separate and depend on plan tier and transaction volume.
Yes, and this is common in B2B. We design clear rules of engagement that define when a partner-sourced lead passes to sales, who owns the relationship, and how commission is calculated when both sales and an affiliate touch the same deal.
PartnerStack is best for SaaS companies with a self-serve or product-led motion. Impact.com suits enterprise-grade programmes with complex commission structures. Awin and ShareASale work well for e-commerce and content affiliates. Refersion and Tapfiliate are cost-effective for early-stage programmes. We recommend based on your stack and programme complexity.
An active partner has generated at least one qualified referral or conversion within the last 90 days. Inactive partners sit in the programme without producing results, which dilutes programme quality metrics. We remove inactive partners after a re-engagement attempt and replace them with higher-fit recruits.
In-house makes sense once the programme is mature and a dedicated partnerships manager can maintain relationships and run recruitment. In the build phase, an agency brings platform expertise, existing affiliate relationships and the operational bandwidth to launch correctly without internal distraction.
We configure fraud prevention rules in the tracking platform covering self-referrals, cookie stuffing and suspicious conversion patterns. Partner vetting before onboarding removes low-quality affiliates. Regular audits of conversion data flag anomalies before they become significant budget losses.
B2B affiliate and partner programmes work best in SaaS, professional services, FinTech, HR technology, e-commerce tools and any category where consultants, agencies or specialist publishers already advise your target buyers. The key is whether the partner can credibly recommend your product within an existing trusted relationship.
Ready to build a partner channel that earns at scale?
Book a strategy call. We will design your programme structure, identify the right partners and build the infrastructure that makes affiliate revenue predictable and compounding.