Consultant Track
For partners who refer business to City Hive, but do not directly manage clients’ City Hive accounts, the consultant path is the starting point. Partners who submit managed accounts and meet or surpass the tier thresholds will be automatically moved up to the guru track.
Consultant Requirements
Consultant Benefits
Requirements and Benefits Glossary
Program Requirements
Application approval
To be approved as a City Hive partner, the first step is filling out a partner application. Questions revolve around the prospective partner’s service offerings, technology partners, and typical client profile. This information helps City Hive determine whether the potential partnership is a good fit for both organizations. If we deem the applicant to be a good addition to the City Hive ecosystem, the application allows the City Hive team to align resources and ensure the partnership is set up for success from day one.
How long is the application process?
After submission, the application will be reviewed and processed between 2-5 business days.
If approved, what happens next?
After an application is approved, the newly established City Hive Partner will be receiving access to City Hive’s Partner Portal to begin making progress towards the program requirements. Within the Partner Portal, partners can submit lead referrals, register managed client accounts, complete certification requirements, and access success, sales, and marketing resources. Additionally, a Partner Onboarding Specialist will reach out to new partners to ensure the partnership is set up for long-term success.
Why was my application denied?
An application may be denied if:
- The application does not include required or accurate information
- An applicant is not responsive to scheduling an onboarding conversation or attending an onboarding webinar
- The applicant’s business is not a good fit for the program or do not align with City Hive’s values
Signed Partner agreement
All partners must acknowledge the Partner program agreement. Program guidelines and rules of engagement are included within the agreement.
City Hive Partner certification
The City Hive Partner Certification is designed for partners to learn about the resources that are available for partners to succeed in the program. Lessons include content about partner-specific tools, ways to up level skills, and how to position City Hive as a solution to prospects and clients. Completion of the Partner Certification is required for all partner types and each partner must have at least one employee receive an 80% or above to pass.
City Hive Product certification
This certification is designed to familiarize partners with the City Hive platform in order to feel empowered and make the most out of clients’ marketing strategy. This certification covers how to optimize communication styles for different audience segments, design best practices, and marketing strategies that will increase confidence when using City Hive. There is a required assessment at the conclusion of the course. Completion of the Product Certification is required for all partner types and each partner must have at least one employee receive an 80% or above to pass.
Minimum MRR referred
For all tracks and tiers, MRR (Monthly recurring revenue) referred is key component to tier status evaluation. The minimum MRR referred requirement considers the trailing 12 months of aggregated MRR for both email and SMS closed won referrals.
How are lead referrals submitted?
Leads must be submitted via the lead registration form within the partner portal, or by leveraging the unique affiliate link provided to create an account on behalf of a client or prospect. Affiliate links are also a great way to get credit for referrals when advocating on behalf of City Hive at scale – we recommend using your affiliate link in blog posts and other content.
Why would a lead be accepted/rejected?
City Hive considers a variety of factors when accepting or rejecting leads, including:
- Timeliness of the partner’s lead submission
- Depth of a partner’s relationship with a lead
- Communication of accurate information about the lead by the partner to City Hive
- Whether or not the lead is actively engaged with City Hive sales or another partner
How long do referrals remain active?
Leads are valid for 90 days from the date of registration and must become a paying City Hive customer OR be converted to a working opportunity within that time frame for credit to be awarded.
Referrals can be renewed if proactive notice is given to a partner’s primary contact if more than 90 days be required and activity with the lead remains active.
Can a partner close a deal themselves?
If a partner is working on a lead they submitted without the help of a City Hive sales representative, progress must be communicated to the City Hive partner team on an ongoing basis in order to receive credit. Failure to reach out or respond to inquiries may result in the loss of referral credit.
Minimum MRR referred
For gold+ masters, there will be a minimum SMS MRR referred requirement that must be met in order to achieve a higher tier, starting on April 1, 2022. SMS MRR counts towards to the total minimum MRR referred. SMS MRR will not be considered for the H1 downtier, but will for the H2 downtier (Oct 2022)*
*If City Hive SMS is not available in country, there will be no SMS requirement
Minimum MRR managed
Managed MRR is the total sum of MRR for all active managed customer accounts attributed to a partner. A managed customer is a City Hive account that has confirmed all email marketing activities are being managed and executed by a partner. These activities include, but are not limited to: onboarding; campaign strategy and execution; flows strategy, optimization, and execution; as well as ongoing support.
For City Hive to recognize a partner is managing an account, we require partners to submit “managed customers” in the City Hive Partner portal.
Submitting a managed customer requires the partner to provide the City Hive account’s Public API key and the client’s contact information. Once submitted, City Hive will contact the client directly (via email) to confirm. The client must confirm the partner’s management status for the account to be recognized as managed. When confirmed, the account will appear as ‘active’ on the managed customer dashboard within the portal.
Visibility of City Hive brand on website
Partners who have achieved gold tier or higher are required to mention City Hive on their website. This acknowledgment of our partnership may come in the form of a case study, inclusion of the partner tier badge or City Hive logo among other partners’ logos, or a dedicated landing page that outlines the City Hive product and related services.
Program Benefits
On-demand courses and certifications
City Hive’s Partner academy is where partners can access free, on-demand courses and certifications to upskill and advance knowledge. The academy helps partners uplevel their City Hive product knowledge, learn strategies on how to sell City Hive to prospective clients, and strategize with existing ones. Partners must login to the partner portal in order to access Partner academy.
Unique affiliate link
Partners will receive a unique link that can be used to create accounts for clients, or shared with prospective customers. Any net new lead that creates an account using the link—and converts to a paid account within 90 days—referral credit will automatically be applied and the MRR will count towards the minimum MRR referred requirement.
Partner portal access
Every partner receives access to the City Hive Partner portal after application approval and program acceptance. The City Hive Partner portal is where partners submit lead referrals, access partner training, register managed customers, and view partner-specific sales, success, and marketing resources. Partners are allowed an unlimited number of user logins. To create an account for the portal, please visit cityhive.net or contact partners@cityhive.net for assistance.
Partner Slack community
Connect with a community of thousands of agency partners from around the world to share best practices, ask questions, and be the first to hear about City Hive updates. Upon acceptance into the program, partners will receive a link to join.
Access to City Hive leadership
Becoming a City Hive Partner unlocks access to City Hive leadership in a variety of ways. From exclusive partner webinars and roundtables, to beta testing opportunities with departmental leaders, to product roadmap sessions—we value our partner’s perspective and are always looking for opportunities to connect. Recurring meetings with City Hive leaders can be expected for platinum partners.
Revenue share for referred accounts
When a referred lead becomes a paying City Hive customer, partners are paid a percentage of the MRR for a specified period of time. The percentage and period of time are determined by tier status at the time the lead is accepted. Payments are processed within forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar quarter if a minimum revenue share of $200 has been accumulated. If partners do not meet the $200 minimum payout, partners will be paid retroactively the following quarter.
Revenue share for managed accounts
Partners are paid a percentage of accounts’ MRR for an indefinite time period for every account they are actively managing—managed accounts must be registered as a managed customer in the partner portal and confirmed by both City Hive and client.
The payout percentage is determined by a partner’s tier status at the time of the payment period. Payments are processed within forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar year. There is no minimum threshold for managed customer payouts.
Listing in partner directory
City Hive does not sell services, nor do we represent the breadth of services our partners provide. The City Hive Partner directory is the best way for City Hive’s ecosystem of customers to find an agency, consultant, or developer to help their brand grow. Each partner’s page should be completed and maintained by the partner. All partners Silver+ are eligible to be listed, but any partner can start working on theirs regardless of tier status. Click here to get started.
City Hive Partner badge
Every partner receives access to a City Hive Partner logo kit to represent status within the City Hive Partner program. Partners will be provided the logo kit when uptiered, but can access anytime under the quick links on the homepage of the Partner portal. We encourage partners to leverage the logos on websites and other marketing materials to showcase their standing within City Hive’s rich ecosystem.
Access to City Hive marketing collateral
City Hive Partners have access to dozens of sales and marketing materials via Partner portal. These assets include campaign assets, audit guides, email and SMS use cases, onboarding checklists, sales resources, and more. We encourage partners to leverage these resources to support client acquisition and make progress towards the MRR Referred program requirement.
Marketing development funds (MDF)
MDF is a proposal-based financial incentive to support City Hive-focused co-marketing campaigns, executed by partners. While campaigns must follow City Hive’s MDF guidelines and align with quarterly content themes, the partner is ultimately responsible for developing a marketing proposal that is mutually beneficial. Eligible partners will work directly with their partner manager and City Hive’s ecosystem marketing team to ensure the use of marketing development funds is a success for both parties.
Approved activities include, but are not limited to: content creation or internal incentives for sales outreach campaigns, event execution, industry event sponsorships, and paid advertising campaigns.
MDF is not a guaranteed benefit. Only those proposals that are deemed advantageous for both organizations and align with City Hive goals will be approved. More information on the MDF request process and proposal best practices is coming soon.
Invitations for City Hive co-marketing
The City Hive marketing team has committed to increasing the number of partners involved in City Hive-hosted marketing activities. While the partners invited will be based on the activity itself, only partners gold+ will be eligible to be featured.
Priority in-app product support
Priority Product support is a major investment into improving the partner experience in 2022. City Hive has committed to providing expedited solutions when partners submit tickets for accounts they are actively managing. These tickets will be prioritized and addressed by advanced City Hive product experts, including SLAs.
Email + SMS sales support + enablement
In addition to on-demand trainings in the Partner academy, an abundance of resources in the Partner portal, and ready-to-use marketing materials— City Hive is tripling down on partner enablement. Partners can expect invitations to physical and virtual live trainings, roundtable discussions on relevant topics, and a best-in-class sales team that is always there to help partners close the most exciting deals.
Dedicated partner manager (sales)
Platinum and select gold partners will be paired with a dedicated Partner manager (PM) to facilitate growth within the Partner program. This individual will be the partner’s primary City Hive contact and only succeeds if their partners succeed.
Partner managers meet with partners on a regular basis and will support co-marketing lead follow-up strategies, ensure broader teams are trained and informed, and provide partners with the tools and resources required to be successful in the program.
Dedicated Partner success manager
Platinum and select gold masters may be eligible for a dedicated Partner success manager (PSM). This individual will meet with partners’ strategy and client success teams to ensure our mutual customers are successful on City Hive—and the partner equally as successful managing the account and supporting their growth.
PSMs provide partners with City Hive product expertise and strategic guidance related to client on-boarding, adopting new features, and best practices for ongoing client success.
Developer experience support
Access to a team of Solutions Architects that educate partners on City Hive’s product architecture, advice on complex use-cases, and provide technical guidance during the sales cycle as needed.
Resources
Sales
- Lead registration
- Sales certification
- Sales playbook
Marketing
- City Hive blog
- Campaign materials
- Customer stories
Developer experience
- Developer portal
- SI certifications
- Integrations directory
