90-Day Activation Playbook
Purpose: How to design and execute a 90-day partner activation plan
Use with: VP of Partnerships Agent for dry runs and planning
Date: January 2025
🎯 What is a 90-Day Activation Plan?
Definition: A time-bound test where a partner commits to a specific, measurable outcome within 90 days.
Purpose:
- Prove value quickly (no long-term strategic handwaving)
- Force specificity (named accounts, clear mechanism)
- Create accountability (deliver or deprioritize)
- Fast learning (what works, what doesn’t)
Format: “Get [X outcome] from [Partner] by [Date]”
Examples:
- “3 qualified sales convos from Snowflake reps by April 15”
- “5 customer intros from Mixpanel team by March 30”
- “2 co-marketing webinars with Amplitude by May 1”
📋 Step-by-Step: Create a 90-Day Plan
Step 1: Understand the Partner’s Value (5 min)
Using VP of Partnerships Agent:
Ask the agent: “I’m planning a 90-day activation with [Partner Name]. They are a [Partner Type: Tech Vendor/Agency/etc.]. Based on their archetype, what kind of 90-day goal makes sense?”
Agent will help you think through:
- What archetype are they? (Demand Creator, Deal Accelerator, Capability Completer, Channel Multiplier)
- What value do they typically provide? (intros, deal acceleration, implementations, distribution)
- What’s realistic in 90 days? (3-5 qualified convos is typical)
Example Agent Dialogue:
You: “I’m planning a 90-day activation with Snowflake. They’re a Tech Vendor, Deal Accelerator archetype.”
Agent (as VP of Partnerships): “For a Tech Vendor Deal Accelerator like Snowflake, the typical 90-day goal is getting their sales reps to bring you into active deals. A realistic goal would be 3-5 qualified conversations with customers where Snowflake is already engaged. The key success factor is identifying 2-3 specific reps who work accounts in your ICP (Logistics, Manufacturing, Retail). What regions or verticals does Snowflake focus on with you?”
Step 2: Define the Specific Goal (10 min)
Components of a good 90-day goal:
- Outcome (what you want)
- Quantity (how many)
- Quality bar (what counts)
- Timeframe (when)
Template: “Get [X quantity] [outcome with quality bar] by [date]”
Good Examples:
- ✅ “3 qualified sales convos with Logistics customers (>$50M revenue) from Snowflake reps by April 15”
- ✅ “5 customer intros to Manufacturing companies from Mixpanel CSMs by March 30”
- ✅ “2 co-sell deals in pipeline with Amplitude reps by May 1”
Bad Examples:
- ❌ “Build relationship with Snowflake” (too vague)
- ❌ “Explore co-marketing opportunities” (no outcome)
- ❌ “Get some intros” (no quantity, no quality bar, no timeframe)
Quality bars to consider:
- Customer size: >$50M revenue, 500+ employees
- Industry: Logistics, Manufacturing, Retail
- Stage: Active deal, evaluating, already purchased
- Pain point: Data platform implementation, analytics gaps
Step 3: Map the Path (15 min)
Using VP of Partnerships Agent:
Ask: “For this 90-day goal with [Partner], what’s the path to get there? What needs to happen week by week?”
Agent will help you break it down:
Week 1-2: Setup
- Identify target reps (who works accounts in your ICP?)
- Get partner manager to intro you to 3-5 reps
- Set expectations with reps (what you’re offering, what you need)
Week 3-4: Education
- Share co-sell playbook with reps
- Provide account briefs for their top accounts
- Do training call (30 min: how we help, what to listen for)
Week 5-8: Activation
- Weekly check-ins with top 2-3 reps
- Research accounts for them proactively
- Support active deals (proposals, technical questions)
Week 9-12: Delivery
- Get first intro/qualified convo
- Document what worked
- Double down on what’s working
Example Agent Dialogue:
You: “For Snowflake, my goal is 3 qualified convos. What’s the path?”
Agent: “Here’s the typical path:
Week 1-2: Get Snowflake partner manager to intro you to 3-5 AEs who work Logistics/Manufacturing accounts. Ask for reps in [specific region].
Week 3-4: Send each rep your Snowflake co-sell playbook + account brief for 1-2 of their accounts. Do a 30-min training call.
Week 5-8: Weekly check-ins with top 2 reps. Proactively research accounts for them. Offer to join their customer calls.
Week 9-12: First rep brings you into a deal. Document what worked (was it the account brief? the training call? the proactive research?). Use that to replicate with other reps.
The key is focusing on 2-3 reps, not trying to engage everyone at once.”
Step 4: Identify Success Factors (10 min)
What needs to be true for this to work?
Using VP of Partnerships Agent:
Ask: “What could prevent this 90-day goal from succeeding? What do I need to have in place?”
Common success factors:
- Named reps (specific people, not “Snowflake sales team”)
- Rep commitment (they agreed to try, not just “we’ll see”)
- Value exchange (what you’re giving them: account research, technical support, deal support)
- Executive sponsorship (partner manager champions this internally)
- Materials ready (co-sell playbook, case studies, account briefs)
Example for Snowflake:
Must have:
- ✅ 3-5 specific Snowflake AEs identified (names, territories)
- ✅ Partner manager championing this internally
- ✅ Snowflake co-sell playbook created
- ✅ 2-3 account briefs ready (for their accounts)
Nice to have:
- ✅ Snowflake training call scheduled
- ✅ Customer success story featuring Snowflake
- ✅ Weekly check-in cadence established
Blockers to watch for:
- ❌ No named reps (partner manager won’t intro)
- ❌ Reps don’t respond to outreach
- ❌ No ICP alignment (their accounts don’t match ours)
- ❌ Partner manager turns over
Step 5: Set Check-in Cadence (5 min)
How often will you review progress?
Recommended cadence:
- Weekly: Check tracker - who needs attention? (filter by NEXT ACTION DATE)
- Bi-weekly: Partner manager sync - how’s it going? any blockers?
- Monthly: Review 90D STATUS - on track, at risk, or failed?
Status definitions:
- On Track: Making progress toward goal (1+ qualified convo or clear pipeline)
- At Risk: No progress, needs intervention (change reps, change approach, escalate)
- Delivered: Hit goal, set new one
- Failed: Didn’t deliver, deprioritize or pause
🎭 Using VP of Partnerships Agent for Planning
Dry Run: Plan a 90-Day Activation
Scenario: You want to activate Snowflake partnership.
How to use the agent:
- Agent plays VP of Partnerships at enterprise partner
- You pitch your 90-day plan
- Agent evaluates and provides feedback
Example Dialogue:
You: “I want to activate Snowflake. My 90-day goal is: Get 3 qualified sales convos from Snowflake reps by April 15.”
Agent (as Snowflake VP of Partnerships): “Okay, walk me through your plan. How are you going to get 3 qualified convos in 90 days?”
You: “Week 1-2: Get partner manager to intro me to 5 reps. Week 3-4: Send co-sell playbook. Week 5-8: Weekly check-ins. Week 9-12: Get first intro.”
Agent: “Good structure, but I see some gaps:
- How will you identify which 5 reps to target? What’s your ICP for their accounts?
- What’s in your co-sell playbook that makes reps want to use it? Why would they bring you in?
- What value are you offering in those weekly check-ins? Reps are busy - why would they engage?
Let’s refine: Instead of 5 random reps, target 3 specific reps who work Logistics accounts >$50M in [region]. Instead of just sending a playbook, offer to research 2-3 of their accounts and send them briefs. Instead of generic check-ins, make it: ‘I’ll research accounts for you weekly, you tell me if any are worth an intro.’ That’s a clear value exchange.”
You: “Okay, revised plan: Target 3 Snowflake AEs in West region working Logistics >$50M. Offer: Weekly account briefs for their top accounts. Ask: Intro me when you see a fit.”
Agent: “Much better. That’s specific, valuable, and creates a clear path to 3 convos. Now, what if those 3 reps don’t respond? What’s your backup plan?”
The agent helps you:
- Pressure-test your plan
- Identify gaps
- Refine your approach
- Think through failure modes
📝 90-Day Plan Template
Partner: [Partner Name]
Partner Type: [Tech Vendor, Agency, etc.]
Archetype: [Demand Creator, Deal Accelerator, etc.]
90-Day Goal:
Get [X quantity] [outcome with quality bar] by [date]
Example: Get 3 qualified sales convos with Logistics customers (>$50M revenue) from Snowflake reps by April 15
Path to Get There:
Week 1-2: Setup
- Identify target reps: [Names, territories, accounts]
- Get partner manager intro
- Set expectations with reps
Week 3-4: Education
- Share co-sell playbook
- Provide account briefs for top accounts
- Do training call (30 min)
Week 5-8: Activation
- Weekly check-ins with top 2-3 reps
- Research accounts proactively
- Support active deals
Week 9-12: Delivery
- Get first intro/qualified convo
- Document what worked
- Double down on success
Success Factors:
Must have:
- [Specific thing needed]
- [Specific thing needed]
- [Specific thing needed]
Nice to have:
- [Helpful thing]
- [Helpful thing]
Blockers to watch:
- [Potential blocker]
- [Potential blocker]
Check-in Cadence:
- Weekly: Review tracker (NEXT ACTION DATE)
- Bi-weekly: Partner manager sync
- Monthly: Review 90D STATUS
Status Updates:
Week 2: [Update]
Week 4: [Update]
Week 6: [Update]
Week 8: [Update]
Week 10: [Update]
Week 12: [Final - Delivered/Failed]
🎯 Example: Snowflake 90-Day Activation
Partner: Snowflake
Partner Type: Tech Vendor
Archetype: Deal Accelerator
90-Day Goal:
Get 3 qualified sales convos with Logistics/Manufacturing customers (>$50M revenue) from Snowflake reps by April 15, 2025
Path to Get There:
Week 1-2: Setup
- Identify target reps: Mike Johnson (West), Sarah Chen (Central), David Park (East) - all work Logistics accounts
- Partner manager (Jarred) to intro me via email
- First call with each rep: 15 min intro
Week 3-4: Education
- Send Snowflake co-sell playbook to 3 reps
- Provide account briefs for ABC Corp (Mike), XYZ Inc (Sarah), DEF Co (David)
- Training call with all 3 reps: 30 min on how we help with Snowflake implementations
Week 5-8: Activation
- Weekly: Research 1-2 accounts per rep, send briefs
- Join customer calls when invited
- Provide technical answers on implementation questions
Week 9-12: Delivery
- Target: First intro from Mike or Sarah by Week 10
- Document: What account brief worked? What pitch resonated?
- Double down: Use what worked to get intros #2 and #3
Success Factors:
Must have:
- 3 specific reps identified (Mike, Sarah, David)
- Jarred championing internally
- Snowflake co-sell playbook created
- 3 account briefs ready
Nice to have:
- Training call scheduled
- Customer success story featuring Snowflake
- Weekly research cadence established
Blockers to watch:
- Reps don’t respond (escalate to Jarred)
- No ICP alignment (reps don’t work Logistics)
- Jarred turns over (get new champion ASAP)
Check-in Cadence:
- Weekly: Monday morning - review tracker, send account briefs
- Bi-weekly: Friday - sync with Jarred on progress
- Monthly: Last Friday - review 90D STATUS
Status Updates:
Week 2: Intros sent, 2/3 reps responded (Mike, Sarah). David ghosted - need to follow up with Jarred.
Week 4: [Update]
Week 6: [Update]
Week 8: [Update]
Week 10: [Update]
Week 12: [Final - Delivered/Failed]
🚀 Quick Start: Your First 90-Day Plan
Today (15 minutes):
- Pick one partner to activate
- Use VP of Partnerships Agent to brainstorm 90-day goal
- Draft plan using template above
- Add to tracker: 90D GOAL, 90D START DATE, 90D STATUS = “On Track”
This Week:
- Get partner manager buy-in on plan
- Identify specific reps/people to engage
- Create necessary materials (playbook, account briefs)
- Set first action (intro call, send playbook, etc.)
Next 90 Days:
- Execute plan week by week
- Update tracker weekly (NEXT ACTION DATE, 90D STATUS)
- Pivot when stuck (different reps, different approach)
- Deliver or deprioritize
📚 Related Documentation
- VP of Partnerships Agent:
agents/vp-partnerships-agent.md- Use for dry runs - Partner Playbook:
partner-playbook.md- Strategy and approach - Co-Sell Playbook Template:
templates/co-sell-playbook-template.md- Create playbooks for reps - Account Brief Template:
templates/account-brief-template.md- Research accounts for reps - Tracker Final Structure:
TRACKER-FINAL-STRUCTURE.md- How to track in your tracker
Last Updated: January 2025
Owner: GTM / Partnerships Lead
Use: Design and execute 90-day partner activation plans