A Lightweight Agency Partnerships Program That Actually Works | EP 12

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive into the practicalities of building a partnerships program for resource-constrained agencies. They argue that you don't need a dedicated partnerships team to start seeing significant benefits from strategic alliances.

Peter and Sei-Wook outline a step-by-step, lightweight approach to identifying the right partners, from complementary agencies and tech platforms to fractional consultants. They explain how to build genuine relationships, properly vet potential partners to protect your reputation, and set up simple systems for tracking and incentives. The conversation also covers the critical mindset shift required, which is focusing on giving value first to build "relationship capital" rather than just chasing referral commissions.

If you've considered partnerships but feel overwhelmed by the complexity, this episode provides a clear, actionable framework to start small, stay consistent, and build a powerful network that drives high-quality leads and strengthens your agency's ecosystem.

Key Moments

1. Defining agency partnerships: The different types of partners and why they matter.

2. The case for a lightweight approach: How to start a partnerships motion without a dedicated lead.

3. Step one: How to strategically select your first 5-10 target partners.

4. Building real relationships: The importance of consistent touchpoints and going deep with a few.

5. Protecting your reputation: How to properly vet agency partners before making referrals.

6. Incentives simplified: A standard model for referral commissions and why trust matters more than money.

7. The "give first" principle: Why sending leads to others is the surest way to become top-of-mind.

Real Talk Takeaways

1. Start small. Focus on building deep relationships with 5-10 key partners rather than managing a huge, shallow list.

2. Your reputation is on the line with every referral. Vet partners through small projects or client feedback before going all-in.

3. A standard, simple commission structure (like 10% of collected revenue for 12 months) keeps administration lightweight.

4. Track partnerships with simple tools like spreadsheets; you don't need complex software to get started.

5. The goal is a two-way street. You can't just ask for leads; you must actively send opportunities to your partners.

6. Keep your team in the loop. Visibility into partnerships ensures everyone can leverage these relationships in client work.

7. Success isn't just leads received; track the leads you send out, as this builds relationship capital for the future.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: The value of a lightweight partnerships program

01:05 – What types of partners should an agency consider?

02:00 – The first step: Defining and prioritizing a shortlist of partners

03:26 – Going deep: Building real relationships with key people

04:35 – Maintaining visibility: Cadence, events, and keeping your team informed

07:05 – The critical importance of vetting agency partners

08:21 – When partnerships go wrong: Protecting your reputation

09:42 – Incentives and commissions: Keeping the structure simple

12:32 – Tracking partnerships and measuring success

14:47 – The "give first" principle: Why sending leads is crucial

15:46 – How to manage partner capacity and have backups

16:36 – Key metrics to track for a partnerships program

18:19 – Unlocking the next level: What a mature program looks like

19:52 – Actionable first steps: Your targeted partner list and one-pager

Notable Quotes

"Start out defining who the partners could be... it doesn't need to be a huge list. Just thinking about the few, maybe five to 10 partners that are in your ecosystem." — Sei Wook Kim on starting with focus.

"You are putting your reputation on the line by recommending somebody, so it's not something to take lightly... no amount of money makes it worthwhile to jeopardize your reputation in this way." — Peter Kang on the stakes of vetting partners.

“ Go deep, really understand the people at these partners. Spend time too, so that they understand what you do and how you can help them, and how they can help you.” — Sei Wook Kim on building relationships one at a time.

“ You can't just go around and be like, ‘Hey, I'll pay you 10%, 15% if you give us a lead and then sign a bunch of those and then expect the leads to flow in.’ It never quite works that way.” — Peter Kang on mistakes of tracking leads.

Links & Resources

Peter Kang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkang34/

Sei-Wook on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seiwookkim/

AgencyHabits Website: https://www.agencyhabits.com/

AgencyHabits on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agencyhabits/

Barrel Holdings Website: https://www.barrel-holdings.com/

Barrel Holdings LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/barrel-holdings/