You don’t need a full-time partnerships lead, fancy CRM integration, or 100 affiliate links to make agency partnerships work.

What you need is a simple system:

• A short list of trusted partners

• A repeatable way to stay top of mind

• And clear expectations around referrals, reputation, and results
  
  

At Barrel Holdings, we’ve tested a lot. What’s worked best, and consistently, is a lightweight approach that emphasizes relationships over infrastructure.

Here’s how to do it.

Start With 5–10 Real Partners

Forget signing 40 referral agreements out of the gate.

Start with 5–10 partners you already trust or admire.

These could be:

• Complementary agencies (SEO, CRO, content, branding, etc.)

• Fractional consultants (CMOs, media buyers, RevOps)

• Tech platforms you actively build on (e.g., Shopify, Klaviyo, Webflow)
  
  

At Barrel, our top-tier list included Shopify, Recharge, Klaviyo, and Rebuy. Not because they had great programs, but because we actually worked with them, regularly. They built relationships with account managers, supported their teams, and made themselves visible.

Sometimes, you don’t need more volume. You need more consistency.

Build Relationships, Not Just Referral Links

Partnerships work when there’s trust. And trust comes from time.

Check in regularly. Show up at events. Run a low-key lunch and learn with your team.

The goal is to embed the relationship across your agency, so it’s not just you, the founder, holding all the context.

We’ve seen this pay off when PMs reference partners on client calls, or when strategists loop in a go-to email expert without needing a sign-off. That only happens if your team knows the partner, and trusts their work.

Make It Easy to Refer You

If you want referrals, give people something they can forward.

We recommend creating a 1-pager:

• What your agency does

• Ideal client profile

• Sample case studies

• Services or packages

• Contact info
  
  

This acts as your intro kit: a low-friction way for partners to pass you along without writing a novel. And it gives you something to send when you check in.

Give First, Ask Later

One of the fastest ways to be top of mind: send a lead.

Most agencies get this backward. They set up commission agreements, wait for the referrals to flow in, and wonder why nothing happens.

At Barrel, we’ve sent a lot of referrals to partners we don’t even have formal agreements with, simply because we trust their work. And we’ve stayed on the receiving end of great intros because we’ve shown up for partners early and often.

Lead with generosity. The return comes later.

Keep the Tracking Simple

Don’t overengineer it.

We’ve tried the tools. A Google Sheet works just fine.

Track:

• Who you referred business to

• Who sent leads to you

• Deal size and outcome

• Commissions owed (if any)
  
  

If you’re more advanced, use your CRM and tag lead sources. But don’t let software become a barrier to momentum and growth.

Keep Commission Terms Uniform

If you’re going to offer commissions, make it easy to understand and manage.

Our standard:

• 10% of collected revenue for the first 12 months

• Paid out quarterly

• Net 30 after payment is received from the client
  
  

Avoid customizing terms for every partner. The more exceptions you make, the harder it becomes to track and maintain.

Communicate Internally

Make sure your team knows you have partners.

Mention them during team meetings. Show where they’ve contributed to client success. Loop them into debriefs.

The more embedded the partner is in your ops, the more likely your team will activate them in the right moments, especially when talking to clients.

Measure What Matters

Track what the program is actually producing:

• How many leads came from partners

• How many closed

• How many leads you sent to others

• How much you’ve paid out in commissions
  
  

This tells you which partners are strong, where to double down, and how the relationship is trending over time.

The Takeaway

Partnerships aren’t about complexity. They’re about intent.

Start small. Be generous. Show up. Track the basics.

If you do that consistently, your partnerships program will grow into something meaningful, without adding another full-time job to your plate.

🎧 Want the full breakdown of how we run this across agencies? [Listen to the full episode here.]