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Channel partners and resellers · checked 11 November 2026

Bring in resellers once you can sell the product yourself, and pay each partner margin by how much of the sales cycle they carry.

Channel speeds up a sales motion that already works; it does not create one. Publish one margin table and one deal registration policy: 10 to 15% for referral, 20 to 30% for partners carrying the sales cycle, up to around 40% for strategic multi year commitments. Zoho built its partner programs with zero entry fees and three simple tiers.

The steps 11 answers

  1. What is a channel partner, and why would a software company hand over 30% of the price? GTM
  2. How did Zoho and Freshworks build partner engines that carry real revenue out of India? GTM
  3. Is our product even ready for resellers? GTM
  4. A reseller has signed. How do I make them actually productive? GTM
  5. How do I work with a system integrator without losing the customer relationship? GTM
  6. How do I choose between a distributor, a VAR and going direct in a new country? GTM
  7. What margin should we give partners, and how do we stop channel conflict? GTM
  8. What operations do I need behind channel: deal registration, PRM, attribution? GTM
  9. Which companies actually run the best channel programs, and what do they do differently? GTM
  10. How does Zoho actually reach tier 2 and tier 3 India through partners? GTM
  11. How do the best mid market SaaS companies use a partner flywheel instead of hiring more AEs? GTM

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The terms

Sales CycleSales Motion

eChai Partner Brands The partnership →