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        <title>SaaS Channel &amp; Alliances Insights</title>
        <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com</link>
        <description>Weekly practical articles on SaaS channel sales, partner-led growth, and alliances strategy.</description>
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        <copyright>© Csaba Csordas</copyright>
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            <title><![CDATA[Measuring Partner Productivity the Right Way]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/measuring-partner-productivity</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Almost every metric a channel programme reaches for counts activity rather than contribution. There are four that actually tell you whether a partner is building your business — and an honest measurement model is the mechanism that closes the loop on everything this section of the series has built.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Metrics</category>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Partner-Led vs Partner-Assist, and the Incentives That Drive Each]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/partner-led-vs-partner-assist</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[When should a motion be partner-led and when partner-assisted? And what incentive drives the behaviour you want, rather than just the sign-up? These turn out to be a single question, because the incentive is the real instruction — and neither the motion nor the maths holds without signal behind them.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
            <category>Economics</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Running Effective Account Mapping Sessions]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/running-effective-account-mapping-sessions</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Account mapping is one of the most quietly wasted hours in the channel calendar. This article explains what makes the session work, why the spreadsheet model has run out of road, and how to replace the one-time event with a Partner Signal Loop that never stops running.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[How to Create Pipeline With Partners, Not For Them]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/pipeline-with-partners-not-for-them</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Vendor-generated leads passed to partners is not co-marketing. This article examines what joint pipeline generation actually requires, why the accountability gap kills most attempts, and where AI agents fit into the joint motion without replacing the relationship.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Role of Pre-Sales in Channel Success]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/role-of-pre-sales-in-channel-success</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Pre-sales in partner-led motions is a trust-building function, not a late-cycle technical support role. This article examines why, where it most commonly breaks down, and what the strongest partner-focused pre-sales motions actually look like.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
            <category>Enablement</category>
            <category>Strategy</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Co-Selling Motions in Practice]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/co-selling-motions-in-practice</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Co-selling is one of those terms that gets used freely and defined rarely. This article covers the three points where it most commonly stalls, the three motions that consistently work, and what the vendors getting traction have built that others have not.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Turning Partners into Trusted Advisors]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/turning-partners-into-trusted-advisors</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[How to move partners beyond product selling into advisory conversations that shape how customers think about the problem you solve. Phase 3 of the series begins here - and it begins with the shift that creates real channel leverage.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Enablement</category>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[AI Tools Across the Partner Lifecycle]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/ai-tools-across-partner-lifecycle</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[A four-month hands-on experiment testing AI tools in real channel work - covering where Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and others actually help across strategy, recruitment, outreach and enablement.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Enablement</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[How to Disqualify the Wrong Partners Early]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/disqualify-wrong-partners-early</link>
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            <pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The wrong partner is not a neutral outcome - it is a tax on your time, your team, and your programme credibility. Learn the pre-signing red flags, onboarding signals, and exit criteria that protect your programme.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Recruitment</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Onboarding That Drives Revenue, Not Just Completion]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/onboarding-drives-revenue</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Completion metrics look healthy while pipeline stays flat. The answer is not a standardised curriculum - it is a set of modular building blocks assembled differently for each partner. This article explains the design that scales.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Enablement</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The First 90 Days: Partner Activation Blueprint]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/first-90-days-partner-activation</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Partners who don't have a commercial conversation involving your product within 90 days of signing rarely go on to contribute meaningfully. This article presents the Discover, Activate, Embed framework - and explains why activation is not about training a partner, but proving the partnership is worth their time.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Enablement</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Recruiting vs Enabling: Getting the Balance Right]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/recruiting-vs-enabling</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Most SaaS channel programmes over-recruit and under-enable. Signing partners is visible and measurable. Enabling them is harder to show on a slide. This article explains the imbalance, the cost of getting it wrong, and how to recognise when the shift is needed.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Recruitment</category>
            <category>Enablement</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Partner Outreach That Works]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/partner-outreach-that-works</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Outreach is where your strategy meets real people with real priorities - and they don't respond to generic messages. This article shares a practical workflow for building context before you ever reach out, and why the preparation is the point.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Recruitment</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Where to Find the Right Partners]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/where-to-find-partners</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[One of the most common mistakes in SaaS channel building is assuming partners will somehow discover you. This article flips the question - and maps the four most effective places to find the right partners once your IPP is defined.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Recruitment</category>
            <category>Strategy</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Identifying & Targeting the Right Partners: The Ideal Partner Profile]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/ideal-partner-profile</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Just as you would never run direct sales without an ICP, you should never build a channel motion without an Ideal Partner Profile. This article introduces the IPP framework - including a weighted scoring model - and explains why targeting without definition creates noise, not growth.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Recruitment</category>
            <category>Strategy</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Defining Your Partner Value Proposition (PVP)]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/partner-value-proposition</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Most SaaS 'partner propositions' are vendor propositions. A true PVP answers one question from the partner's perspective: how do I make money, reduce risk and grow strategically by working with you? This article explains how to build one that actually works.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Economics</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Channel vs Direct Sales Alignment: Avoiding Internal Conflict Before It Starts]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/channel-direct-sales-alignment</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/channel-direct-sales-alignment</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Most channel conflict is structural, not personal. This article explores why tension between direct and channel sales is almost always rooted in incentives, pricing design, and lifecycle measurement - and what it takes to fix it.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Co-Sell</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Choosing the Right Channel Model: One-Tier vs Two-Tier, Referral vs Resale]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/choosing-right-channel-model</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/choosing-right-channel-model</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Once you understand how partners make money, the next question is which channel structure supports that reality. This article makes the case for matching channel ambition to company maturity - and why crawling before running is not weakness, it is strategy.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Economics</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Channel Strategy & Operating Model: SaaS Partner Types Are Outdated]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/saas-partner-types</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/saas-partner-types</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Resellers, SIs, referrals, MSSPs - the traditional partner type labels were designed for a different era. This article reframes partner types as business models and explains what that shift means for how you build your programme.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Economics</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SaaS Channel Foundations: Are You Actually Ready for Partners?]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/channel-readiness-checklist</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/channel-readiness-checklist</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Before scaling a partner programme, the foundations need to be in place. This article closes the foundations section of the series with a practical SaaS Partnership Readiness Checklist.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Real Challenges of SaaS Channels in 2026]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/real-challenges-saas-channels-2026</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/real-challenges-saas-channels-2026</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The challenges facing SaaS channel leaders in 2026 span cloud marketplaces, partner mindshare, subscription misalignment, AI adoption, and attribution. Here is what actually matters - and a practical takeaway for each.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Common SaaS Channel Myths and Why They Can Cost You]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/saas-channel-myths</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/saas-channel-myths</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The same assumptions keep derailing SaaS channel programmes - regardless of region, partner type, or product category. This article names the four most damaging myths and explains what to do instead.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
            <category>Execution</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Why SaaS Channels Exist]]></title>
            <link>https://www.csabacsordas.com/series/why-saas-channels-exist</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Most SaaS companies begin with a direct sales motion - and eventually hit a ceiling. This article explores why channels exist, what makes them fundamentally different from direct sales, and why almost every successful SaaS company eventually builds one.]]></description>
            <author>Csaba Csordas</author>
            <category>Strategy</category>
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