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Partnership tactics for the 1%
100 Tactics. 1 Unfair Advantage.
There’s a move in here for every stage of the journey, from first pitch to final win.
Growth and partnerships aren’t won in boardrooms. They’re built in the quiet moves, how you:
Earn trust
Respond under pressure
Show up when no one’s watching
Below you’ll find 100 battle-tested tactics used by the world’s best leaders to pitch smarter, close faster, and grow through high-trust, high-value partnerships.
Whether you're kicking off a bold new deal or trying to revive a stuck one, there’s a move here that can help.
Glad you’re here,
Coach Phil Hayes-St Clair
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Partnership Tactic Vault
10 Trust-Building Tactics
Most partnerships fail before they start. Why? Because trust is assumed, not earned.
🚫 “They’ll trust us once we deliver.”
✅ They’ll only let you deliver if they trust you first.
Here are 10 trust-building tactics that leaders use to convert curiosity into commitment:
1. Name the Risk First
→ Say the hard part out loud before they do.
(Eg "If I were you, I'd worry that we're too early-stage. Here's why that’s not a blocker…")
It proves you’re self-aware, and lowers their guard.
2. Say "We're Not the Only Option"
→ Show you care more about fit than the win.
It builds credibility and moves the power dynamic.
3. Show, Don’t Tell
→ Instead of a slide, share a tool, customer quote, or in-market test.
Trust is built in evidence, not adjectives.
4. Match Their Pace
→ Accelerate or slow down based on how they move.
Rushing = pressure. Mirroring = partnership.
5. Introduce Them Internally
→ Give them access to people in your org early.
It signals you’re backing them with real access, not gatekeeping.
6. Send a Recap Email (Unprompted)
→ After a call, summarise key takeaways and action steps.
It shows clarity, accountability, and respect for their time.
7. Share a Trade Secret
→ Offer a unique insight or tactic you normally reserve for insiders.
It says: “I trust you first.”
8. Talk About the First Win Before the Contract
→ Start co-designing value early.
They’ll feel like partners, not prospects.
9. Give Them Credit in Public
→ Mention their work in a post, panel, or client conversation.
Unexpected advocacy builds unexpected loyalty.
10. Ask a Human Question
→ “What would make this feel like a win for you, personally?”
Trust grows when people feel seen—not just sold.
10 First-Win Tactics
Partnerships die in the waiting room. The longer it takes to show value, the faster momentum fades.
🚫 “Let’s start with strategy and see where it goes.”
✅ “Let’s win early, then we’ll earn the right to grow together.”
Here are 10 first-win tactics that validate trust, build belief, and unlock the next “yes”:
1. Ship a Shared Case Study
→ Co-write a short piece on why you’re teaming up, before the results land.
It creates credibility while you build traction.
2. Introduce Them to a Dream Customer
→ A warm intro that helps them grow says, “We’re here to win together.”
Your social capital becomes their first win.
3. Build a Joint Landing Page
→ One page. Two logos. Clear offer. Shared Call to action.
Nothing says “we’re live!” like traffic and clicks.
4. Offer an Exclusive ‘Insiders’ Discount for Their Clients
→ A limited, co-branded deal they can extend to their audience.
They look like a hero, fast.
5. Co-Host a Micro-Event
→ A 30-minute live session, Q&A, or private roundtable.
Low lift. High signal.
6. Make the Operations Team Smile
→ Fix one friction point in delivery for their team.
Operations wins help decision-makers lean in.
7. Share an Internal Resource
→ Loan them a playbook you’ve mastered or a subject matter expert.
It creates value without waiting on results.
8. Embed a Link in Your Marketing Workflow
→ Tuck their brand into your onboarding email, confirmation page, or product flow.
Small placement, big impression.
9. Run a Pilot With Real Customers
→ 10 customers. 10 days. One outcome.
Prove it works at a tiny scale. Then go big.
10. Celebrate Their Team
→ Shout out their designer, account executive, or operations lead publicly.
Partnerships deepen when individuals feel valued.
10 Signals They’re Not Ready (and May Waste Your Time)
Some partners say yes too fast. Others say all the right things, but never move.
🚫 “If they’re interested, it’s worth chasing.”
✅ If you’re chasing, it’s not a partnership, it’s a performance.
Here are 10 subtle warning signs that they’re not ready, and why it’s better to find out now:
1. They Won’t Introduce You Internally
→ If they can’t get you in front of key players, they’re not really advocating.
No allies = no action.
2. Every Answer is Vague
→ “We’re open to ideas” or “We’d love to explore”
Translation: We haven’t thought about this, and won’t fight for it.
3. They Never Ask a Hard Question
→ If there’s no pushback, they’re not seriously evaluating the deal.
Engaged partners challenge, ghosts nod politely.
4. You’re Always Re-Explaining the Basics
→ If you keep repeating the value prop, it’s not landing. Or not important to them.
5. There’s No Urgency Anchor
→ Nothing tied to a deadline, goal, or current pain point?
They can’t move fast because nothing’s pushing them to.
6. They Keep ‘Forgetting’ to Do Small Things
→ Missed intros. Late replies. No-show on pre-read.
Small signals = big pattern.
7. Their Team’s Not ‘Looping In’
→ A true partnership brings in legal, product, or marketing early.
No cross-functional pull = no commitment.
8. You Can’t Find a Win for Them
→ If their benefit is unclear, the deal won’t get internal traction.
No clear ROI? No chance.
9. They Avoid Talking About Risk
→ Real partners want to pressure-test the plan.
If they pretend it’s all upside, they’re not thinking seriously.
10. They Flinch at the Word ‘Contract’
→ Hesitation here means it’s not strategic, it’s optional.
And optional partnerships always lose to urgent ones.
10 Co-Creation Power Plays
Most pitches are one-sided. Great partnerships aren’t.
If you want a real “yes,” stop selling to your partner, and start building with them.
🚫 “Partnerships start with a pitch.”
✅ “Partnerships start with a prototype.”
Here are 10 co-creation plays that turn meetings into momentum:
1. Build a ‘Why Us’ Slide, Together
→ Ask: “Why does this partnership make sense?”
Capture their language, not just yours. Now it’s their pitch too.
2. Design the First Win Live
→ On the call, map out one quick outcome you can deliver together.
Even a rough sketch makes the opportunity feel real.
3. Ask for Their ‘Unreasonable Ask’
→ Invite them to share the big thing they wish they could get.
What they say will reveal what matters, and what’s possible.
4. Sketch the Customer Journey Side-by-Side
→ Visualise where your solutions meet theirs.
It’s fast, fun, and shows you’re serious about integration.
5. Let Them Pick the Metric
→ Ask: “What success metric would you want to own?”
Partners lean in when they get to define the win.
6. Draft a Shared LinkedIn Post
→ One idea. Two brands. Co-authored.
Instant public alignment and energy.
7. Co-Create a Pitch for Their Leadership
→ Help them sell you internally.
When you write their internal deck, you’re already inside the walls.
8. Ask for Their Deal-Breakers Up Front
→ Don’t wait for legal. Find the lines early, and build around them.
It saves months of “almost.”
9. Use Their Language in Your Deck
→ Industry terms, tone, naming conventions.
It shows respect, and fluency in their world.
10. Invite Their Team to an Offsite or Sprint
→ Bring their lead into your planning day.
Nothing forges trust like solving problems in real-time.
10 Invisible Momentum Tactics
No contract. No revenue. No launch. But still… something’s shifting.
🚫 “Nothing’s happened yet.”
✅ “Everything’s happening—you’re just not measuring it right.”
The best partnerships often gain momentum under the surface. Here’s how to spot it:
1. Their Team Is Talking About You Without Prompting
→ You’re on the slide. In the Slack thread. Quoted in the meeting.
That’s mindshare, and it’s step one.
2. You’re Getting Asked the Next-Level Questions
→ Not “what do you do?” but “how would this integrate with our roadmap?”
That’s motion.
3. They Share Something Internal
→ Org chart, Q3 priorities, customer churn data.
Trust isn’t declared, it’s revealed through access.
4. Your Names Keep Getting Closer Together
→ In proposals. In demos. On event invites.
That’s proximity, and proximity leads to permanence.
5. They Defend the Partnership in Internal Debates
→ When people go to bat for the deal, it’s become personal.
6. You’re Getting Pulled, Not Pushing
→ Suddenly they want another meeting.
Momentum is when your calendar fills without asking.
7. You’re Hearing Language You First Used
→ Your words show up in their comms.
That’s not flattery, it’s influence.
8. Their Operations Team Starts Asking Practical Questions
→ Pricing structure. Integration sequence. Data flows.
It’s not excitement, it’s execution mode.
9. You’re Part of Their Risk Conversation
→ “Here’s how we’d explain this to the board if it goes wrong…”
That’s a signal they’re already owning the idea.
10. Their Boss Asks to Join the Next Call
→ Decision-makers don’t show up for fun.
They show up when it matters.
10 Internal Selling Tactics
Great partnerships don’t just win meetings, they win the meeting after the meeting. That’s where real buy-in lives.
🚫 “The champion just needs to get approval.”
✅ “The champion becomes a hero when you help them sell the approval.”
Here are 10 internal selling tactics that help your champion turn interest into budget, support, and green lights:
1. Arm Them With a Custom Slide
→ One clear page they can drop into any deck.
It should answer: “Why now? Why us?”
2. Translate the Value Into Their Metrics
→ Not “brand awareness.” Say for example, “10% lift in partner-led conversions.”
Speak the CFO’s language, or be ignored.
3. Offer the 3-Year ROI Narrative
→ Short-term lift. Mid-term efficiency. Long-term positioning.
Leaders buy what lasts.
4. Name the Risks Before They Do
→ “Here’s what could go wrong, and how we’ll handle it.”
You’ll earn more trust by being the first to say it.
5. Draft a Win Email They Can Forward
→ The deal, summarised in 4 bullet points.
Make it easy for them to look smart, and decisive.
6. Show Them How to Say No to You
→ “If these 2 things don’t happen in 90 days, let’s shake hands and walk away.”
This reduces fear, and increases the chance of yes.
7. Give Them Internal Credit
→ Mention their idea in front of your CEO.
Or shout them out in a deck. Influence their org through recognition.
8. Map the Decision Chain With Them
→ Who signs off? Who blocks? Who needs to feel safe?
Great partners help navigate, not just pitch.
9. Offer a ‘No Budget Needed’ Pilot
→ Give them a risk-free way to get started.
Once the results come in, budget follows.
10. Co-Create a Short FAQ Doc
→ 5 questions their team will ask, and how to answer them.
Make the internal sale as smooth as the external one.
10 Land And Expand Plays
If you try to win the whole mountain, you’ll lose the trail.
Start smaller. Deliver faster. Then grow from there.
🚫 “Let’s go big or go home.”
✅ “Let’s go small—but with a map to scale.”
Here are 10 ways to land the first deal, and quietly engineer the second:
1. Sell the Slice, Not the Whole Pie
→ Start with one segment, region, or customer tier.
It’s easier to say yes to something small that still delivers proof.
2. Anchor to a 6-Month First Win
→ “Let’s do this, see what we learn, and recalibrate in 6 months.”
Time-bound = low risk. Expansion = built in.
3. Create an Expansion-Ready Success Metric
→ Choose a result that hints at bigger upside.
(“If we grow 10% in one market, imagine this at scale…”)
4. Use the First Deal to Solve Their Problem
→ Not just a test. Make it a win that matters internally.
Great expansions come from real, internal advocates.
5. Offer Optional Add-Ons, Not All-In-One
→ Keep your offer modular. Let them grow into more, on their timeline.
Ease beats complexity.
6. Flag a ‘Phase 2’—But Don’t Sell It Yet
→ Mention it exists. Don’t push it.
It builds curiosity without triggering resistance.
7. Bake in an Internal Debrief Moment
→ “Let’s set a check-in 90 days in to assess what’s next.”
Momentum is maintained through intentional pauses.
8. Document Expansion Criteria Together
→ Co-write the rules for what earns the next phase.
Now it’s their plan too.
9. Ask: “What Would Make Your Boss Ask for More?”
→ Unlock the internal pressure valve.
You’ll learn what will make them want to scale.
10. Celebrate the First Win Publicly
→ Internal newsletter, Slack post, LinkedIn shoutout.
It builds reputation, and paves the way for more.
10 Tactics to Reset Stuck Partnerships
Stuck doesn’t mean doomed. It means someone stopped listening, or stopped leading.
🚫 “If it’s not working, kill it.”
✅ “If it mattered once, give it a chance to evolve.”
Here’s how to bring a partnership back to life, or exit with dignity:
1. Name the Stall (Directly and Neutrally)
→ “Feels like momentum has slowed. Want to sense-check that together?”
Naming it opens the door to fixing it.
2. Revisit the Original Intent
→ Go back to the why.
If the purpose still matters, there’s something worth saving.
3. Run a Fresh Alignment Session
→ New priorities? New people? New goals?
Don’t assume yesterday’s plan still fits.
4. Create a 30-Day Reset Plan
→ Pick one objective, one action, one owner per side.
Short-term focus rebuilds trust.
5. Ask: “What’s Been Hard on Your Side?”
→ Empathy unlocks honesty.
And honesty clears the logjam.
6. Introduce a New Face
→ Sometimes a fresh relationship reignites the old one.
Change the dynamic, not just the plan.
7. Offer to End It Gracefully
→ “If it’s not the right time, we can pause with appreciation, not pressure.”
No guilt. Just options.
8. Share a Win From Elsewhere
→ “Here’s what worked in another partnership, it might spark ideas here.”
Momentum is contagious.
9. Reset the Success Metric
→ Maybe the original KPI was off.
Change the target, not the teammate.
10. Say: ‘Let’s Just Make One Customer Smile’
→ Drop the strategy. Pick one shared client or cause.
A human win > a stalled roadmap.
10 Unexpected Allies
This is where real strategic creativity lives. When leaders stop asking “Who’s in our category?” and start asking “Who serves the same customer, but in a totally different way?”, that's when big moves happen.
🚫 “Stay in your lane.”
✅ “Find the on-ramp next to you and build a bridge.”
Here are 10 types of unexpected allies that unlocked serious growth, plus how to find your own:
1. The Competitor-Turned-Collaborator
→ Apple & Microsoft (1997): One saved the other. Both grew.
Coopetition works when the stakes are shared.
2. The Brand That Shares Your Enemy
→ Uber & Lyft partnered to share safety data.
They compete, but they both want to beat bad press.
3. The Distribution Giant Who Needs Cool
→ Shopify x TikTok: One needed creators, the other needed checkout.
Distribution loves fresh energy.
4. The Underdog With Loyalty You Can’t Buy
→ Liquid Death x musicians, skaters, tattoo artists.
Find the subculture gatekeeper. Back them, don’t buy them.
5. The One-Feature Tech You Can Bundle
→ Zoom partnered with Otter.ai for real-time transcription.
Lightweight integrations. Heavyweight value.
6. The Nonprofit With Deep Community Trust
→ Patagonia’s retail x environmental orgs.
You borrow trust by aligning values, then earn it with action.
7. The Former Critic
→ Nike x Colin Kaepernick.
Turning tension into trust builds cultural gravity.
8. The Logistics Player With Idle Capacity
→ Amazon let Kohl’s handle returns.
Surprising backend collabs unlock front-end delight.
9. The Event Host With an Empty Slot
→ Smart startups partner with major events to run side activations.
Borrow brand and audience, without the overhead.
10. The Software You Thought Was a Competitor
→ Slack x Salesforce. Shopify x Meta.
The line between rival and route-to-customer is thinner than you think.
10 Generosity Moves
Term sheets end where generosity begins. And when things get hard, generosity is what keeps partners in the room.
🚫 “Generosity is soft.”
✅ “In great partnerships, generosity is the strategy.”
Here are 10 under-the-radar power moves that great partners make, especially when no one’s watching:
1. Offer the Bigger Share (First)
→ “Take 60% of this one. We’ll make it up on the next.”
Leaders who bet on the long game usually win it.
2. Lend Your Best Person
→ Your lead designer. That operations guru. A trusted PM.
A few weeks of brilliance can unstick months of mess.
3. Extend Terms Without Being Asked
→ “We’re good to push payment until you’re through the crunch.”
It’s not just relief. It’s unforgettable.
4. Take Less Credit
→ “Let’s shine the spotlight on your team in the press release.”
Partners who share the stage get invited back.
5. Share Your Playbook, Not Just the Product
→ Give away the template, the system, the insight.
If they win more, so do you.
6. Make the No-Strings Intro
→ Connect them to someone powerful, with no ask attached.
It’s social capital invested, not spent.
7. Help Them Exit Gracefully
→ Sometimes generosity is letting go without drama.
Even the ending builds reputation.
8. Highlight Their Work Publicly
→ Post, podcast, keynote shoutout.
Third-party praise is more powerful than private thanks.
9. Reduce the Scope, Keep the Spirit
→ If they’re overwhelmed, suggest a smaller version of the deal.
It says: “We care more about the relationship than the revenue.”
10. Say Thank You in a Way That Hits
→ A personal letter. A gift to their team. A story about what changed.
Appreciation is strategy.
I hope these tactics helped you…
When you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:
1. The Partnership Lab (Check link for application dates): The Partnership Lab is an AI-fuelled system for sales and marketing leaders who need to close 6-figure partnerships, fast.
2. The Partnership Decision Sprint: 30-minute sessions built for leaders facing high-stakes partnership decisions. Invite up to three people from your team and walk away with clear, actionable next steps.
3. Leadership Events: From Cochlear and Lifeblood to military leaders, I have shared inspiring stories and practical frameworks and insights that shift how leaders leverage partnerships for growth. Book me to speak at your next conference, offsite, or leadership event.
Looking for something different? Send me an email.
Glad you’re here,
Coach Phil Hayes-St Clair