Choosing the right partner marketing platform isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about aligning your technology investment with your strategic goals—and avoiding missteps that could set your program back months or even years.

Whether you’re running an RFP process or simply preparing for vendor demos, asking the right questions upfront will help you identify the platform that supports your specific needs, both now and at scale.

This guide lays out the essential questions you should ask during the evaluation process. These are the questions that reveal not just what a platform does, but how well it’s likely to work for you.

1. What types of partnerships does your platform support natively?

Many platforms claim to support “all partner types,” but the depth of that support varies.

Ask:

  • Can the platform support affiliates, influencers, referral partners, B2B resellers, and strategic alliances?
  • Are there specific workflows for onboarding, tracking, and paying each type?
  • How are partners segmented within the dashboard?

Why it matters: Your partner ecosystem will likely diversify over time. You need a platform that won’t require workarounds every time you add a new model.

2. How flexible is your tracking and attribution model?

Tracking is the backbone of partner performance. Inflexible attribution will constrain your optimization options and partner trust.

Ask:

  • Which attribution models are available out of the box?
  • Can we configure our own custom logic (e.g., split credit, event triggers, or multitouch)?
  • Is post-conversion tracking supported (e.g., for LTV, subscriptions, or engagement)?
  • What visibility do partners have into attribution decisions?

Why it matters: If you can’t explain how revenue credit is assigned, you can’t confidently scale your program.

3. Who owns the data, and how accessible is it?

Data control isn’t just a compliance issue. It’s a strategic one.

Ask:

  • Do we have full access to raw performance data?
  • Are APIs available for syncing with BI tools, CRMs, or CDPs?
  • Are reports customizable, exportable, and filterable by segment?

Why it matters: If you can’t answer internal ROI questions with confidence, your tech is working against you.

4. How customizable are workflows and partner experiences?

Out-of-the-box workflows are great—until you need to run a partner tier promotion or change onboarding logic by region.

Ask:

  • Can onboarding, approval, and payout flows be customized?
  • Can we build partner tiers, bonus rules, or milestone-based incentives?
  • Are there triggers for automated partner messaging and lifecycle progression?

Why it matters: Your workflows will evolve. Your platform must evolve with them.

5. What compliance, fraud prevention, and brand control features are built in?

As your program grows, risk management becomes critical.

Ask:

  • What real-time fraud detection or alert systems are in place?
  • Can coupon use, search terms, and geo-location be restricted?
  • How are restricted brand or product guidelines enforced across partners?

Why it matters: Scaling your program without compliance controls is a shortcut to reputational damage.

6. How are partner payments handled across currencies and regions?

Payout friction is one of the fastest ways to lose good partners.

Ask:

  • What payment methods are supported (e.g., ACH, PayPal, wire)?
  • How are tax forms, thresholds, and payment frequency managed?
  • Do payouts support multiple currencies and regional compliance?

Why it matters: Global partnerships require global infrastructure.

7. How does the platform integrate with our existing tech stack?

Partner marketing doesn’t live in a vacuum. The platform needs to connect with your ecosystem.

Ask:

  • What native integrations are available (Shopify, HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.)?
  • Can we sync partner data with analytics, ecommerce, and messaging tools?
  • Is there an open API for building custom integrations?

Why it matters: Integration determines whether partner marketing becomes a silo or part of your growth engine.

8. What support and enablement resources are available?

Technology is only as useful as your team’s ability to use it.

Ask:

  • Is onboarding supported by a dedicated success manager?
  • Are there resources for partner enablement (e.g., co-brandable content, templates)?
  • Is technical support responsive and multichannel?

Why it matters: If the platform takes weeks to configure or months to optimize, your ROI timeline slips.

9. How is pricing structured, and what value do we get at each tier?

Transparency in pricing protects your forecasting and your relationship.

Ask:

  • Is pricing based on performance volume, partner count, or flat rate?
  • Are premium features gated behind higher tiers?
  • What does onboarding and support cost?

Why it matters: The right pricing model should scale with your success—not penalize it.

10. What does the platform roadmap look like?

Your needs will evolve. So will the market.

Ask:

  • What new features or partner types are being prioritized?
  • How often is the product updated?
  • Can we influence the roadmap as a customer?

Why it matters: Choose a platform that’s building for tomorrow’s problems, not yesterday’s templates.

Final Thought

An RFP isn’t just a vendor checklist. It’s a strategic lens on how well a platform fits your growth roadmap, risk profile, and operational workflows.

Use these questions to go beyond the sales deck and see how each vendor thinks about scale, support, and accountability.

Partner marketing has become mission-critical for growth. The platform you choose should reflect that.