# Channel SOP — Partnerships, referrals, affiliates, and co-marketing

**Use when:** both sides serve overlapping audiences with different jobs and can create value without misleading endorsements.

**Avoid when:** the partner is invented, competitive conflict is hidden, the placement is a homepage banner nobody wants, or compensation is undisclosed.

## Partnership design

1. Define audience overlap, different jobs, and why each recommendation helps the recipient.
2. Research the real partner and placement before proposing.
3. Start with a small reversible format: newsletter P.S., thank-you/resource page, guest lesson, bundle, event, integration workflow, or one social recommendation.
4. Agree owner, copy, placement, tracking, disclosure, timing, and stop conditions.
5. Founder approves and communicates; use the NicheMatch skill only when matching is open.

## Referral/affiliate design

Recommend only after a real value moment. Reward should not pressure spam or distort advice. Explain terms, attribution window, qualification, payout/credits, disclosure, and abuse rules.

## Measure

Primary: qualified referred action → activation/purchase → retention/quality for both sides. Diagnose unique clicks, conversion by placement, partner effort, and complaints.

Continue placements that remain useful and balanced. Change placement/message when clicks are relevant but do not convert. Stop when audience trust, quality, or economics degrade.