PRAISE FOR THE PARTNERSHIP ECONOMY What people are saying: “In the modern marketing age, trust is no longer a one- way street, with businesses telling consumers they are trustworthy and hoping consumers believe them. Consumers now drive this conversation, and they demand to know how a brand’s external commitments align with their values. Consumers are looking for brands to show them— not tell them— they are trustworthy. In The Partnership Economy, David A. Yovanno shares the context for how brand- consumer relationships have changed and actionable strategies for how to build authentic partnerships that will help your business thrive.” — Stefania Pomponi, founder of Hella Social Impact and author of Influencer Marketing For Dummies “It’s been said that great product never beats great go-t o- market. And who could argue? With more than 15,000 SaaS applications in market, the best products no longer win on their own merit. Instead, the best customer experiences do. We’ve entered a new era, an era of partner ecosystems. And now, great go- to- market never beats great partner ecosystems. “Welcome to The Partnership Economy, ushered in and documented for the first time ever by David A. Yovanno’s must-r ead for every partner leader and execu- tive in this new era. I’ve been complaining for years that there is no definitive work on partnerships and no book to reference. Thanks go to David for answering the call because The Partnership Economy is the book I’ve been waiting for and that you must read now.” — Jared Fuller, host and producer, PartnerUp: The Partnerships Podcast “If partnerships are the game changer of today’s industry, then this book is a must- read for anyone looking to create successful partnerships that will give them an undisputed competitive edge. The concept of partnerships in advertising is not new, but The Partnership Economy really gets under the hood of what makes a powerful modern partnership and, crucially, how today’s brands can use them to achieve customer acquisition and retention, drive sales, and establish a strong, long- term brand reputation. Yovanno819707_ffirs01.indd i 21 Dec 2021 04:45:01 pm “With real business examples presented in an accessible, conversational way, The Partnership Economy is a remarkably engaging and captivating read for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of modern marketing.” — Julia Smith, founder and CEO, The Digital Voice “The Partnership Economy is a great book for anybody interested in the wider universe of performance marketing. As an industry that has previously been very focused on a narrow set of rules and tactics, focusing on a handful of metrics, it’s great to read about the dramatic evolution that has transformed the space into a much more versatile and sustainable one to be a part of.” — Niamh Butler- Walton, staff writer, PerformanceIN “David A. Yovanno shares what all marketing leaders will soon know: Partnerships are the future of marketing. Dave and his team at impact.com have continually been at the forefront of using technology to transform the partnership industry, and The Partnership Economy will show you a blueprint and case studies for success in the brave new world of partnership marketing.” — Robert Glazer, CEO of Acceleration Partners and number- one Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Elevate and Performance Partnerships “The Partnership Economy will become required reading for anyone in revenue acquisition. The adoption of cloud technologies and social media has accelerated the scale and speed of change in the partner landscape, and author David A. Yovanno offers a clear and cohesive path forward.” — Patrick McCue, board advisor and former senior vice president, Global Partners and Okta Yovanno819707_ffirs01.indd ii 21 Dec 2021 04:45:01 pm T H E PA R T N E R S H I P E C O N O M Y Yovanno819707_ffirs02.indd iii 21 Dec 2021 04:46:00 pm Yovanno819707_ffirs02.indd iv 21 Dec 2021 04:46:00 pm “Full of aha moments for anyone who has been paying attention.” —Neil Patel, author of Hustle D AV ID A. Y O VA N N O T H E PA R T N E R S H I P E C O N O M Y H O W M O D E R N B U S I N E S S E S F I N D N E W C U S T O M E R S , G R O W R E V E N U E , A ND DELIVER E XCEP T ION A L E X PERIENCE S Yovanno819707_ffirs02.indd v 21 Dec 2021 04:46:00 pm Copyright © 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per- copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750- 8400, fax (978) 646- 8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748- 6011, fax (201) 748- 6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/ go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and authors have used their best efforts in preparing this work, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials or promotional statements for this work. The fact that an organization, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the publisher and authors endorse the information or services the organization, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2 974, outside the United States at (317) 572- 3993 or fax (317) 572- 4002. Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print- on- demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e- books or in print- on- demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data is Available: ISBN 9781119819707 (Hardback) ISBN 9781119819721 (ePDF) ISBN 9781119819714 (ePub) Cover Design: Wiley Cover Image: © primulakat/Getty Images Yovanno819707_ffirs02.indd vi 21 Dec 2021 04:46:00 pm Contents PREFACE: HOW MODERN PARTNERSHIPS WERE BORN ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii Part I Welcome to the Partnership Economy 1 Unlock Unexpected, Lasting Growth with Modern Partnerships 3 • Featuring Sunbasket and Rastelli’s, Ticketmaster and Spotify 2 Trust Is the New Black and Other Reasons Why Referral Partnerships Work 17 • Featuring Booktopia 3 How Partnerships Can Help You Meet Critical Business Goals 33 • Featuring Autodesk, Revolut, Richer Sounds, and Uber Eats 4 Engage Customers Wherever They Are on Their Customer Journeys 47 • Featuring Walmart and Multiple Partners 5 Six Building Blocks of Today’s Partnerships 63 • Featuring Harry’s Part II What Are Modern Partners? 6 Coupon, Cashback, and Loyalty Partners: Reach New Audiences, Drive More Sales 83 • Featuring Ibotta and Kohl’s, and Prodege 7 Creators, Influencers, and Brand Ambassadors: The Powerful New Word-of-Mouth Play 95 • Featuring Marla Catherine and Fabletics, LightInTheBox, Ivory Ella, Savage X Fenty, and Patagonia 8 Mass Media Publishers: When Old-School Advertising Doesn’t Work Anymore 107 • Featuring Ziff Media Group and Better Homes & Gardens 9 Mobile Partnerships: Be Where Your Customers Are All the Time 119 • Featuring Uber, Patagonia, and Target and Samsung 10 Strategic Business Partnerships: When Two Work as One 135 • Featuring Qantas and Airbnb, Disney+ and Lyft, HyreCar and DoorDash, Tasty and Walmart, Spotify and Ticketmaster, Robinhood and TurboTax, Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards, and Hollister and Xbox vii Yovanno819707_ftoc.indd vii 21 Dec 2021 04:48:29 pm viii Contents 11 Community Groups, Associations, and Cause-Based Partnerships: When the Higher Good Is Good Business 145 • Featuring Giving Assistant, KidStart and Banks and Retailers, Crocs and AAA, and Microsoft and Local Chambers of Commerce Part III Get Started in Partnerships 12 How to Get Your Partnerships Program Started 157 • Featuring Trust & Will and PartnerCentric 13 How Does It Feel? Creating a Beneficial Partner Experience 177 • Featuring Walmart, Blue Nile, eBay, Sur La Table, and Shopify 14 What About Agencies? Your Partners in Partnerships 201 • Featuring DMi Partners, Perform[cb] Agency, Gen3, Acceleration Partners, LT Partners, and JEB Commerce Part IV Unleash Your Partnership Potential 15 What Is Partnerships Program Maturity and How Do I Get It? 217 • Featuring Fanatics 16 Next Steps: Envision and Plan a Durable Partnerships Program 229 • Featuring Lenovo and Blue Nile 17 What’s Next? Prepare for the Future 247 • Featuring HubSpot ABOUT THE AUTHOR 259 INDEX 261 Yovanno819707_ftoc.indd viii 21 Dec 2021 04:48:29 pm