Why Your ISV Partner Program Isn’t Working — And How to Fix It
4 mistakes Independent Software Vendors keep making (and the DCE method that solves them)
The Painful Truth
If I had a euro for every time an ISV said, “We just need more partners,” I’d have enough to sponsor the next Directions event.
The truth? You don’t need more partners.
You need the right ones — and a strategy that doesn’t fall apart after the first call.
At DCE, we work with ISVs across Europe and beyond who are trying to build repeatable partner channels. Some have great products. Others have slick sales decks. But nearly all of them struggle to activate and scale through partners.
Let’s break down the 4 most common mistakes — and how we fix them using a model that actually works.
Mistake #1: Focusing Too Much on Margin, Not Enough on Motivation
“If we just offer 30% reseller margin, partners will be all over us.”
Reality: Margin alone never closed a deal.
Partners care about:
How easy is this to position?
Does it help me solve real customer problems?
Will it drive more services revenue for me?
A high margin on a hard-to-sell solution is still a terrible deal.
Flip it:
Ask yourself — why would a partner want to sell this, even if there was no margin?
If you can’t answer that, you’re not ready to recruit.
Mistake #2: Pitching Before Profiling
“We’ve reached out to 100 partners… and no one’s biting.”
That’s because you’re selling before listening.
Too many ISVs blast generic decks to random partners. But if you treat every partner the same, you’ll close none of them.
We always ask:
Do they serve your target vertical?
Do they already sell complementary or competing products?
Are they a delivery firm, an ISV themselves, or a VAR?
Flip it:
Treat partner outreach like account-based marketing.
Profile first. Pitch second.
Mistake #3: Confusing a Logo with a Committed Partner
“We signed a big name in our space!”
Cool. Now what?
A signed agreement isn’t the win. A qualified partner doing real demos for prospects is.
Ask:
Do they have a clear GTM plan?
Have you spoken with their sales & pre-sales teams?
Have they committed to onboarding?
Flip it:
Don’t celebrate the signature — celebrate the first demo.
Mistake #4: Neglecting Partner Enablement
“We gave them a deck and a sandbox. Isn’t that enough?”
Nope. Not even close.
Partners need:
Real-world training (not just feature dumps)
Demo scripts and use cases
Co-selling support to build confidence
Flip it:
Think of enablement as revenue insurance.
Without activation, all you did was waste time signing a passive contact.
Case in Point: From “Interested” to “Invested” in 30 Days
A fast-growing ISV in financial automation came to us with 25 “signed partners.” Only 2 had ever done a demo.
Here’s what we did:
Re-profiled the list, focused on 15 qualified fits
Booked 1-on-1 onboarding sessions, created demo scripts
Set a 10-demo target in 30 days — they hit 12
Outcome:
3 deals in motion by month two — more than they got in 6 months on their own.
The DCE Method: Build a Real Partner Channel
We don’t just recruit partners — we help you activate them.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Strategy Workshop
A 1-day intensive to define your:
Ideal partner
Buyer personas
Competitive landscape
Messaging & goals
Step 2: Targeted Outreach
We build a custom partner list (50–75) and reach out personally.
No spam. No guessing. Just qualified interest.
Step 3: Onboarding & Enablement
We help new partners:
Understand your value prop
Get demo-ready fast
Sell with confidence
Step 4: Pay-for-Performance
You pay per qualified meeting or demo.
No bloated retainers. Just results.
Ready to Build a Real Partner Channel?
If you're done collecting passive logos and want active, revenue-driving partners, let’s talk.
Reach out via our contact form or message me directly.
Let’s build something that scales.