Most B2B SaaS founders I talk to get stuck at the same point: direct sales work at home, then Germany, the Netherlands and Poland come along and the pipeline stalls. The product is not the problem. The problem is that a foreign customer first wants to see a local face who speaks their language and whom they already know. That is the reseller. These are the five steps I use when building a channel with a software company.

1. An ideal partner profile, not a partner list

Before I contact anyone, I write down which kind of partner has access to the target customers: VAR, MSP, system integrator, or an industry consultant. For a fleet management tool, the local e-bike distributor is a better partner than an IT reseller, because he already sits at the fleet operator's table.

2. A commission partners actually sign

In my experience, a recurring commission between 15 and 25 percent is what makes a serious partner commit resources in B2B SaaS. Below that they nod politely and do not sell. Alongside the commission you need a clear rule on who gets the deal when two partners call on the same customer.

3. A partner kit they can start with on Monday

Demo script, sales deck, objection handling guide, two or three references. If the partner has to build the material themselves, you lose three months and the enthusiasm cools in the meantime.

4. Joint marketing, not just a logo swap

A joint webinar, a case study on the partner's customer, a shared presence at one industry event. Partners start selling when they see you working their market too.

5. Deal registration from day one

A simple process where the partner registers an opportunity and it is theirs from that point. It protects their effort and prevents the channel conflict that quietly kills most partner programmes.

The model is not complicated. The hard part is finding the first three good partners, and that is where the personal relationships come in.