Run your distributors, dealers and resellers as one fair, measurable system
A complete channel management toolkit for channel managers, B2B sales leaders and founders who sell through partners: the method, the workbook, the forms and the exact words, from recruiting a partner to reviewing, growing or exiting it.
- A 10-chapter e-book teaching a nine-step channel management loop, with one composite channel running through every chapter
- The Channel Partner Workbook: 15 sheets covering tiers, partner register, IPP-scored recruitment, joint business plan targets, sell-in and sell-out, stock norms, rebates, MDF, deal registration, collections, a weighted scorecard and a dashboard
- 5 fillable PDF forms and 6 Word templates, including 50 partner messages and call scripts, a programme guide, a 33-term agreement checklist and 28 AI prompts
- A Start Here map, three cheat sheets including dated law and market notes by region, a 7-sheet margin and ROI calculator, a 39-event onboarding calendar and a 26-task CSV board
The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit · Bodhih Pro Kits · 90 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
How do you manage distributors and channel partners effectively?
Treat the channel as a loop: design routes and economics, recruit against an ideal partner profile, agree clear key terms, onboard to a first deal in 90 days, plan targets jointly, track sell-out and stock, reward the right behaviour, publish conflict rules and review with a scorecard. The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit from Bodhih Training gives you a file for each step.
Want the full free guide first? Read How to Manage Distributors and Channel Partners: A Practical Guide.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
A long list of partners, a few doing the business
Partners were signed because they asked. Agreements have expired unnoticed, and nobody can say which partners are worth more time and which are costing you money.
Targets met, warehouses full
Quarter-end stocking pushes hit the sell-in number and leave partners discounting for months. Without sell-out data you cannot tell real demand from stock building up.
Two partners, one customer
Deals are claimed twice, your own key-account team competes with partners, and every conflict is settled by whoever shouts loudest. Partners stop investing in new opportunities.
A discount pretending to be a programme
Every partner gets the same terms whatever they sell, train or report. Rebates reward size, MDF is spent without proof, and the best partners subsidise the rest.
Claims, credit and awkward conversations
Claims wait for months, overdue invoices are tolerated for favourite partners, and nobody says clearly when a partner is failing until the relationship is beyond repair.
Different rules in every country
Agency registration in the Gulf, competition law on territories in Europe, currency risk in Africa, distributor systems in India. It is hard to know what to check before you sign or exit.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Picture the Monday you open the Partner Register for the first time. Every partner is on one sheet with tier, target, credit limit and agreement dates, and the Renewal flag has already found the two agreements that expire before Christmas. By lunchtime the Tier check column shows who has earned an upgrade and who has slipped below their tier.
Now it is the joint business plan workshop. As you phase the target with your distributor, quarter by quarter, the numbers reflect their monsoon season, not your spreadsheet. They argue about the figure, then agree it, and you can see from their face that this time they believe it.
Imagine the day two partners claim the same customer. You open the Deal Registration sheet, see the conflict flag, apply the published rule, call both partners within two days and record the reason. One is disappointed and both know exactly why.
And then the quarterly business review. The scorecard went out three days ago, the partner speaks first, and the conversation is about the weakest area rather than whose impression is right. Whether you start with the e-book tonight or the workbook tomorrow morning, each review builds on what the last one taught you.
20 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: channel partner map
The whole channel job as nine steps with the file to open at each, your first hour, a 30/60/90 day use plan and links to measure your starting point.
Channel Partner Workbook
15-sheet workbook: settings, tiers, partner register with renewal and earned-tier flags, IPP-scored recruitment pipeline, JBP targets, primary and secondary sales, stock norms, rebate calculator, MDF and claims, deal registration with conflict flag, collections, weighted scorecard and a dashboard.
Distributor Margin and ROI Calculator
Seven-sheet calculator: price waterfall from end price to your pocket margin, the distributor's return on capital, what-if scenarios on margin, stock and credit, cost to serve by route to market, and a summary with a chart.
Partner application and due diligence form
Three-page fillable form: the prospect's application, your due diligence checks (finance, references, site, compliance), IPP scoring against six criteria and a recorded approval decision.
Partner onboarding checklist
Two-page fillable checklist for the first 90 days of a new partner: set-up, enablement and certification, first deals and the first review, with dates, owners and a sign-off.
Joint business plan
Three-page fillable joint business plan: shared goals and target customers, the annual target phased by quarter, initiatives with owners, mutual investments and commitments, KPIs, risks and signatures.
Quarterly partner business review
Three-page fillable QBR: the scorecard and results against the plan, sell-out, stock and pipeline, issues raised by each side, tier status and the agreed actions for next quarter.
Partner visit report
Two-page fillable visit report: objectives, what you saw (stock, display, staff, service), dealer or customer visits, market intelligence and the actions agreed, sent within 24 hours.
Channel partner message library
50 ready-to-edit messages and call scripts in 10 groups: recruitment outreach, welcome, reviews, scheme announcements, claims, deal registration, reminders, collections, conflict, warnings, exit and dealer meets.
Partner programme guide template
A ready-to-adapt partner programme guide: tiers and benefits, joining, ordering, rebates with a worked example, MDF, deal registration, claims, certification, reporting, reviews, conduct and contacts.
Distributor agreement key-terms checklist
33 commercial terms in 9 groups to decide before counsel drafts a distributor, dealer or reseller agreement, with country flags to raise. Not legal advice.
Channel rules of engagement one-pager
A one-page set of rules your sales team and partners can adopt: who owns which accounts, deal registration, conflict resolution steps and timelines, pricing, territory and escalation.
Worked example pack: a quarter in the channel at Tarang Flow Systems
The main forms and decisions shown completed for one composite case: recruiting and onboarding a new distributor, a joint business plan, a deal registration conflict, a rebate calculation, a QBR and an improvement plan.
AI prompt pack for channel managers
28 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by step of the channel job, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output.
Channel decision card
If-this-then-that card for 21 common moments in managing partners, plus three checks before any decision about a partner.
Channel mistakes to avoid
Mistakes-to-avoid card: twelve channel mistakes with what to do instead and the file that prevents each, plus seven numbers that mislead on their own.
Channel law and market notes by region (October 2026)
Dated quick reference to distribution, agency, competition, anti-bribery and data rules across the EU, UK, US, India, the Gulf, Southeast Asia, Africa and Australia, plus channel technology categories.
90-day partner onboarding calendar
39 calendar events for onboarding one new partner over 90 days, from the welcome call to the 90-day review, each naming the file to open. Import into a new calendar and move to your dates.
Partner programme task board
26 tasks to set up and run the partner programme for its first quarter, as a CSV ready to import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira, with stage, week, owner, file to open and due date.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + printable PDF + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 20 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 62 pages
- Workbooks
- 15-sheet partner workbook and 7-sheet margin and ROI calculator, with sample data, formulas and dashboards
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, GoodNotes, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner, Jira
- Best for
- Companies managing roughly 5 to 100 partners, in any country and currency
Your Partners Are Your Sales Force
Why the channel is a second sales force you lead but do not employ, and the nine-step loop the kit follows.
Channel Strategy: Which Partners, for Which Customers
Choosing partner types from customer needs, a route-to-market grid, and economics that work for you and for partners.
The Ideal Partner Profile and Partner Recruitment
An ideal partner profile with six weighted criteria, a scored pipeline and due diligence where compliance can stop the process.
Agreements That Prevent Arguments
The commercial decisions behind distributor agreements: territory, exclusivity, pricing, credit, stock, compliance and exit.
Onboarding and Enablement: The First 90 Days
A four-phase 90-day onboarding plan built backwards from time to first deal, with practical sales enablement.
Joint Business Plans, Targets and Sell-out Visibility
Joint business plans written with partners, targets phased by quarter, and sell-in versus sell-out visibility.
Stock, Claims, Credit and Collections
Weeks-of-cover stock norms, claim rules with a settlement promise, and one credit and collections policy for all.
Tiers, Incentives, MDF and Deal Registration
Programme design: tiers, gated rebates and accelerators, MDF with pre-approval and proof, and deal registration.
Channel Conflict and Rules of Engagement
Rules of engagement that resolve conflict between partners and with your direct team, without touching resale prices.
Reviews, Scorecards, Improvement and Exit
Weighted scorecards, partner-first QBRs, visits and dealer meets, improvement plans and orderly exits.
Running Channels Across Regions, with PRM and AI
How practice differs across India, the Gulf, Africa, Southeast Asia and Western markets, partner tools, and AI with human review.
The Channel You Now Run
What you now have, what to keep doing, and the first hour.
Channel Metrics Definitions
Plain definitions for fifteen channel metrics, matched to the workbook.
Using AI in Channel Management Safely
Seven rules for using AI safely in channel management, with a prompt for checking claims.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
E-book
- The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit: 10 chapters, 2 appendices and 6 hand-drawn figures (PDF)
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Channel-Partner-Map: the job as nine steps with the file to open at each, your first hour and a 30/60/90 day use plan
Spreadsheets
- Channel Partner Workbook (15 sheets): Start here, Settings, Tiers, Partner Register, Recruitment Pipeline, JBP Targets, Sales Tracker, Stock Check, Incentive Calculator, MDF and Claims, MDF Balance, Deal Registration, Credit and Collections, Scorecard and a Dashboard with 34 live measures and a chart
- Distributor Margin and ROI Calculator (7 sheets): price waterfall, the distributor's return on capital, what-if scenarios, cost to serve by route to market and a summary
Fillable PDF forms
- Partner application and due diligence form: application, checks, IPP scoring and approval
- Partner onboarding checklist: set-up, enablement, first deals and the 90-day review
- Joint business plan: goals, segments, phased targets, initiatives, mutual investments and risks
- Quarterly partner business review: scorecard, results, pipeline, issues, tier status and actions
- Partner visit report: stock spot check, dealer visits, market intelligence and agreed actions
Word templates
- Channel partner message library: 50 messages and call scripts from recruitment outreach to exit
- Partner programme guide template: tiers, rebates with a worked example, MDF, deal registration, claims and conduct
- Distributor agreement key-terms checklist: 33 terms to decide before counsel drafts (not legal advice)
- Channel rules of engagement one-pager your sales team and partners can adopt
- Worked example pack: one composite channel shown through recruitment, onboarding, a conflict, a rebate, a QBR and an improvement plan
- AI prompt pack for channel managers: 28 prompts, each with what to paste in and what to check
Cheat sheets
- Channel decision card: 21 if-this-then-that moments and three checks
- Channel mistakes to avoid: twelve mistakes and seven misleading numbers
- Channel law and market notes by region, dated October 2026
Calendar and import
- 90-day partner onboarding calendar (ICS): 39 events for Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar
- Partner programme task board (CSV): 26 tasks for Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- Choose partner types and routes to market from customer needs, and check the economics for you and your partners
- Recruit partners against a weighted ideal partner profile with consistent due diligence
- Agree the commercial key terms of a distributor agreement before counsel drafts it
- Onboard a new partner to a first registered deal with a 90-day plan and calendar
- Build joint business plans with phased targets and track sell-in, sell-out, sell-through and stock cover
- Design tiers, gated rebates, MDF rules and deal registration, and calculate payouts per partner
- Resolve channel conflict with published rules of engagement and a recorded decision
- Run scorecard-led quarterly reviews, improvement plans and, when needed, an orderly exit
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
A taste of Chapter 4
Partner salespeople often know their customers far better than you do and your product far less well. Enablement should give them a short, repeatable way to run a sales conversation. Two well-known ideas help. Neil Rackham's research at Huthwaite, published as SPIN Selling, found that in larger sales the most successful sellers asked more questions about the customer's situation, problems, the implications of those problems and the value of solving them, and pitched less. The Challenger research by CEB, now part of Gartner, argued that the strongest B2B sellers teach customers something new about their own business. In practice, give partners four good discovery questions, one insight about the customer's problem that most customers have not considered, and a clear next step.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting partners | Sign whoever asks | Ideal partner profile, weighted scoring, due diligence checklist and a compliance stop |
| Agreements | Reuse an old contract | A 33-term commercial checklist with country flags for counsel |
| Onboarding | A price list and a logo | A 90-day plan, checklist and 39-event calendar aimed at a first deal by day 60 |
| Targets | A number sent in December | Joint business plans phased by quarter, feeding a sell-in and sell-out tracker |
| Programme | One discount for everyone | Tiers, gated rebates, accelerators, MDF balances and deal registration, all calculated |
| Conflict | Settled by whoever shouts loudest | Rules of engagement, a conflict flag and scripts for both partners |
| Reviews | A sales meeting about revenue | A six-part weighted scorecard, a QBR form, visit reports and improvement plans |
Made for you if…
- Channel managers and partner managers responsible for distributors, dealers, resellers or integrators
- B2B sales managers and account managers whose revenue depends on partners
- Founders and business owners who sell through distributors and want structure without a big team
- Sales operations and business development teams setting up or tidying a partner programme
- Manufacturers, distributors, SaaS and IT services companies selling across India, the Gulf, Africa, Southeast Asia, the UK, the US or Australia
- Teams moving from a discount-only arrangement to tiers, rebates, MDF and deal registration
Probably not for you if…
- Anyone looking for legal advice or contract wording: the kit covers commercial decisions and points you to qualified counsel, with country notes dated October 2026
- Teams that need partner relationship management software: the workbook runs the loop for a few dozen partners and doubles as a requirements list when you buy a PRM
- Readers wanting general negotiation skills: Bodhih's Ask Better, Get More kit covers that; this kit goes deep on managing partners
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Your partners are already selling for you. Give them a system worth selling in.
Open the Start Here map, fill in Settings and put every partner on the register. Whether you begin with the e-book this evening or the scorecard with your next partner review, the first hour is already planned.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own team or clients where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
The Bodhih family, when you are ready for more
Ask Better, Get More
Negotiation scripts and planners.
Speak on the Spot
Presenting and pitching with confidence.
AssessAll
250+ AI-graded assessments to measure skills and earn verified credentials.
Jobulary
Individual development plans that start from evidence and stay yours.
Bodhih Training
Run this topic as a live workshop for your team, in person or online.
Pewple
Book a vetted coach for career, leadership or communication. Pay per session.
Bodhih.org pathways
Certification pathways in Applied AI, Workplace English and management.
The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit: FAQs
Read the free guideAlready bought? Resend my linkWhat does a channel partner manager actually do?
A channel partner manager designs the route to market, recruits and onboards partners, agrees joint business plans and targets, runs the partner programme (tiers, rebates, MDF, deal registration), tracks sell-out, stock, claims and collections, resolves conflicts and reviews each partner regularly. The kit gives each of these tasks a chapter and at least one file.
How do I choose the right distributors?
Write an ideal partner profile from your best and weakest partners, typically covering market coverage, financial strength, technical capability, customer fit, commitment and compliance. Score every prospect the same way, run due diligence including references, a site visit and sanctions screening, and never let revenue override a compliance concern.
What is the difference between sell-in and sell-out?
Sell-in, or primary sales, is what you invoice to the partner. Sell-out is what the partner sells on to dealers or end customers. Sell-in can be inflated by stocking pushes; sell-out shows real demand. The workbook tracks both and calculates sell-through and weeks of cover.
How should partner rebates and tiers work?
Tiers should have clear requirements, such as annual revenue and certified staff, and clear benefits. Rebates work best with a gate (a minimum achievement before any rebate is paid) and an accelerator on revenue above target, so you pay for growth rather than size. The Incentive Calculator applies these rules per partner and quarter and holds payment when invoices are past your credit hold limit.
How do I stop channel conflict?
Publish rules of engagement before you need them: named accounts you serve directly, a first-complete-registration rule for deals, a decision process with timelines and pay for your direct team on partner deals in their accounts. Never use resale price controls; competition law in many countries prohibits them.
How do I measure my starting point as a channel manager?
AssessAll offers assessments that match this kit: Channel Partner Management - Situational Judgement, Negotiation & Value Creation and Business & Commercial Acumen. Take one before you start and again after two quarters of using the loop. Links are on the Start Here map; the assessments are separate products and not included in the kit.
How do I turn this into a development plan for my channel team?
Pick one or two skills from the decision card and the mistakes card for each person, such as running a QBR or handling conflict, and build them into a plan with practice and review dates. Jobulary explains how its development plans work, and the link is on the Start Here map.
Does it work for SaaS and IT partners as well as manufacturers?
Yes. The method covers resellers, system integrators, referral partners and marketplaces as well as distributors and dealers. Stock sheets matter less for software, while deal registration, tiers, MDF, joint business plans and scorecards apply directly.
Is this legal advice for my country?
No. The kit is educational and practical: it helps you make the commercial decisions and flags where law matters, such as agency protections, competition rules on territory and pricing, anti-bribery and data protection. Country specifics are in one cheat sheet dated October 2026. Check your company policy and qualified local counsel before signing, restricting or ending any agreement.
Which software do I need?
The workbooks open in Excel, Google Sheets or LibreOffice and use no macros. The forms are fillable in Acrobat Reader and most PDF apps, the templates open in Word or Google Docs, the calendar imports into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, and the CSV imports into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira.
What is the refund policy?
Digital kits are non-refundable once downloaded. The exceptions are corrupted files that are not fixed within 3 working days, duplicate charges, or failed delivery.
How much does The Distributor and Channel Partner Management Kit cost?
₹999 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $29 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can I get a refund?
Because it is a digital download, kits are not refundable once downloaded. We always refund a duplicate charge or a failed delivery, and if a file is corrupted and we cannot fix it within 3 working days. Full terms: bodhih.org/refunds.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
