Build phase
Build creates the program structure, the language and the enablement that make referring straightforward.
By Derek Morgan
Published · Updated
The Build phase creates the program structure, the language and the enablement that make referring straightforward for the partner rather than for you.
Once Design is complete, you know who you are building for and why a partnership is worth a partner's time. Build turns those decisions into something a partner can use: a program structure matched to one partner type, language they can repeat accurately, and onboarding and enablement that move them from agreement to first introduction.
The three modules address structure, messaging and activation. Partner program design chooses which type of partnership to run and how it works. Message-to-market builds the language for handover. Partner onboarding, activation and enablement closes the gap between agreeing and producing.
Most partner programs stall in Build rather than Launch, because structure and language were never made explicit. The modules below define each step and link to the full pages.
Modules in the Build phase
Module 4. Partner Program Builder. WHAT type of partnership to create and how it works
The Partner Program Builder determines which of the five partner types your business should run, and defines the structure, commitments and rewards attached to each.
Module 5. Message-to-Market, Storytelling, Offers and CTAs. WHAT to say so people recognize the problem and the value
This module builds the language a referral partner can repeat accurately in a conversation you are not part of, covering positioning, story, offer and call to action.
Module 6. Partner Onboarding, Activation and Enablement. HOW to activate partners so they can refer with confidence
Onboarding, activation and enablement are three distinct stages that move a partner from agreement to first introduction, and skipping any one of them is the most common reason partner programs stall.
The Referral Marketing Formula
This phase is one of three in the Referral Marketing Formula™. The hub lists all nine modules, the glossary defines key terms, and each module page covers the frameworks and questions in full.
Using Refer2u
A phase is a sequence of decisions. Refer2u is where those decisions stay visible as you move from Design through Build into Launch with each partner.
Learn the framework on the Referral Marketing Formula hub. Put it to work in Refer2u.