Mastering Channel Partner Strategy, Ultimate Guide for 2026

Introduction

Your sales team closed 47 deals last quarter. They forecasted 52, but three reps left and two territories stayed empty for eight weeks. Your CEO wants to double revenue in 18 months. The math does not work with your current team size.

This scenario plays out at dozens of B2B tech companies every quarter. Direct sales teams hit natural capacity limits. Hiring and ramping new reps takes six months. Your addressable market spans multiple regions and industries. You cannot be everywhere at once.

Channel partners offer a solution. These are third-party companies that sell your product alongside or instead of your direct team. They bring existing customer relationships, market knowledge, and sales capacity. Most B2B tech companies report 30 to 40 percent of revenue from channel partners by year five.

This guide covers how to build and scale a channel partner program. You will learn how to select the right partners, design economics that work, and execute international expansion through channels. We focus on practical steps, not theory. You will see real numbers, timelines, and examples from companies that have done this successfully.

Channel strategy is not simple. It requires investment, patience, and systems. But done right, it extends your market reach without proportional headcount increases. That advantage compounds as you scale.

What Channel Partner Strategy Actually Means

Core Definition

Channel partners are third-party companies that sell your product. They are not employees. They are not contractors. They are independent businesses with their own customers, sales teams, and revenue goals.

Several types of channel partners exist. Resellers buy your product and sell it to end customers. Referral partners connect you with buyers and earn a fee. Managed service providers bundle your product into their service offerings. Systems integrators implement your product as part of larger technology projects.

Channel partnerships differ from affiliate programs. Affiliates typically earn transaction-based commissions through automated systems. Channel partners build ongoing relationships, provide customer service, and often handle implementation.

Channel strategy fits into your broader go-to-market approach. It sits alongside direct sales, not instead of it. Your go-to-market strategy defines how you reach customers. Channel partnerships are one execution method within that strategy.

When Channel Strategy Makes Sense

Channel partners work best in specific situations. Your product requires implementation support beyond what a sales rep provides. Your target market spreads across multiple regions or industry verticals. Your customer acquisition cost through direct sales exceeds sustainable levels. Your product fits naturally into services that partners already sell to customers.

Consider a CRM software company. IT consultants already serve the mid-market companies you target. They handle technology implementations for these clients every month. They understand the buying process. They have established trust. Your CRM fills a gap in their portfolio. This is a natural channel partnership.

Channel strategy does not work in every case. Avoid channels if you are very early stage. Your product needs clear market fit before partners will invest time learning it. Skip channels if your margins are razor thin. Partners need 20 to 40 percent margin to justify selling your product. Wait on channels if your sales process is still changing every quarter. Partners cannot keep up with constant pivots.

Ask yourself three questions. First, do potential partners already serve your target customers? Second, can those partners earn meaningful revenue selling your product? Third, will partners provide value beyond what your direct team offers? If you answer no to any question, reconsider your channel strategy timing.

Building Your Channel Partner Program Foundation

Defining Your Ideal Partner Profile

Start by identifying partners who serve your exact target market. Customer overlap is the primary criterion. A partner might have strong capabilities, but if they sell to different customers, the partnership will not produce results.

Look for complementary offerings. Your product should fill a gap in the partner's portfolio. A partner selling basic cloud services might need security software. A partner focused on data analytics might need data integration tools. The fit should be obvious to both the partner and their customers.

Evaluate partner capacity. Review their revenue size, sales team headcount, and technical capabilities. A five-person consulting firm operates differently than a 500-person systems integrator. Match your program requirements to realistic partner capacity.

Geographic coverage matters for expansion goals. If you plan to enter Germany, French-speaking partners will not help much. Look for partners with physical presence and customer relationships in your target markets.

Create a scoring matrix. Weight each criterion by importance. Give customer overlap 40 percent weight. Assign complementary offerings 25 percent, capacity 20 percent, and geographic coverage 15 percent. Score each potential partner on a 1-to-10 scale for each criterion. This removes emotional decision-making from partner selection.

Example: A SaaS security company targets managed service providers with 5 to 20 person teams serving mid-market clients in the southeastern United States. They need technical staff capable of implementing security solutions. This specific profile eliminates 90 percent of potential partners immediately.

Partner Economics and Compensation Models

Partners need to make money. This sounds obvious, but many programs fail because partner economics do not work. Calculate exactly how much revenue a partner can generate selling your product.

Standard margin ranges run from 20 to 40 percent for resellers who take full sales responsibility. Referral partners who simply make introductions earn 10 to 20 percent. Implementation partners who bundle your product into larger projects might accept lower margins because they earn services revenue.

Tiered structures incentivize growth. Bronze partners earn 20 percent margin. Silver partners who hit revenue targets earn 25 percent. Gold partners at the highest tier earn 30 percent plus marketing funds. This approach rewards partners who invest in your product.

Deal registration protects partner investments. When a partner registers an opportunity, they own that deal even if your direct sales team later contacts the same prospect. Without deal registration, partners will not invest in pipeline development. They fear losing deals to your internal team.

Marketing development funds help partners promote your product. You provide budget for co-marketing activities, events, or campaigns. Typical MDF ranges from 3 to 5 percent of partner revenue. Partners apply for funds with specific campaign proposals.

Payment timing affects partner cash flow. Monthly payments work better for partners than quarterly or per-deal structures. Partners have their own expenses and payroll to cover. Faster payment builds loyalty.

Real numbers matter. Take a $100,000 deal with a 25 percent partner margin. The partner earns $25,000. If their sales rep spent 40 hours on the deal, that is $625 per hour. Compare this to what they earn selling other products. Your product needs to be competitive or better.

Build a simple calculator. Show partners how many deals they need to close at what average deal size to reach their revenue goals. Make the math transparent and attractive.

Required Program Infrastructure

Partners need tools and resources to sell your product. The question is how much infrastructure to build upfront versus adding later.

A partner portal provides deal registration and resource access. Partners log in to register opportunities, download sales materials, and track their pipeline. Portal requirements increase as you add partners. Start simple.

Training and certification programs ensure quality. Partners need to understand your product well enough to sell and implement it. Create clear learning paths with assessments. Certified partners earn the right to sell your product.

Sales enablement materials adapted for partner use are essential. Your internal sales decks probably will not work for partners. Partners need their own pitch that positions your product within their service portfolio. Provide templates they can customize.

Technical documentation and implementation guides help partners deploy your product. Assume partners have less technical depth than your team. Write documentation for their skill level.

Partner agreement templates establish the legal framework. Work with legal counsel to create standard terms. Include margin rates, payment terms, territory rights, and termination conditions. Make agreements straightforward.

Here is the minimum viable infrastructure for your first 3 to 5 partners: a shared drive with sales materials and documentation, quarterly calls with each partner, simple deal registration through email or spreadsheet, and standard agreement terms. This costs almost nothing and lets you test the model.

Scale up as you add partners. At 10 partners, invest in a proper portal. At 20 partners, add automated training systems. Building too much infrastructure early wastes resources on systems you might need to change.

Recruiting and Onboarding Channel Partners

Finding the Right Partners

Recruiting partners requires active outreach. Waiting for inbound interest works poorly, especially when starting. You need to find partners who match your ideal profile.

Industry associations and trade groups provide partner lists. Managed service provider associations publish member directories. Technology integrator groups host events. These organizations exist in every major technology category.

Your existing customer relationships reveal potential partners. Ask customers who implemented your product. Ask who manages their other technology systems. These companies already understand your solution and your market.

Competitor partner networks offer targets. Research which partners sell competing products. Some partnerships are exclusive, but many partners carry multiple solutions. Ethical recruitment is acceptable. Poaching through misrepresentation is not.

LinkedIn searches work for finding partner development roles at target companies. Search for titles like channel manager, alliance director, or partner programs. These people evaluate new partnerships constantly.

Inbound interest from partner inquiry forms happens more often as your brand grows. Put a clear "Become a Partner" page on your website. Make the value proposition obvious.

Conference and event networking generates quality conversations. Partners attend the same industry events as your prospects. Schedule meetings in advance. Have a clear pitch ready.

Cold outreach success rates sit around 2 to 3 percent. This is lower than typical sales outreach. Partners receive many partnership proposals. Your message needs to stand out with clear revenue opportunity.

Focus on 10 to 15 target partners initially. Do not try to recruit 100 partners at once. Deep relationships with a small number of partners produce better results than shallow relationships with many.

The Partner Pitch

Partners care about their revenue, not your company vision. Start your pitch with how much money they can make selling your product.

Show deal size data and sales cycle length. Partners need to understand the economics immediately. If your average deal is $50,000 with a 90-day sales cycle, say that in the first three minutes. If you offer 30 percent margin, do the math for them. That is $15,000 per deal.

Demonstrate market demand. Partners will not invest time in products customers do not want. Share customer requests for partner support. Show market research. Provide proof that buyers are actively seeking your solution.

Explain competitive differentiation in partner terms. Do not talk about technical features. Explain why your product is easier for them to sell than alternatives. Maybe you have faster implementation. Maybe you integrate with systems their customers already use. Maybe your pricing model creates larger deals.

Address partner concerns directly. When partners ask about margins, give specific numbers. When they ask about training time, provide a realistic timeline. When they worry about competitive conflicts with existing products they sell, explain how you handle that.

Use this pitch structure: state the customer problem, quantify market size in the partner's territory, show exactly how the partner makes money, provide proof points from similar partners or customers, outline clear next steps.

Your first meeting goal is scheduling a technical review, not signing a contract. Move the relationship forward one step. Let the partner evaluate your product with their technical team. Let them test the partner portal. Build confidence through multiple touchpoints.

Onboarding Process

Onboarding turns signed agreements into productive partnerships. Most partner programs fail during onboarding, not recruitment. You sign partners and then abandon them to figure things out alone.

Week one includes contract signature, partner portal access, and initial training. Get administrative details handled immediately. Assign portal credentials. Schedule the first training session. Make partners feel like they made a good decision.

Weeks two and three focus on product certification, sales training, and technical training. Partners need to understand what they are selling and how to implement it. Create structured learning with clear outcomes. Test knowledge through assessments.

Week four includes the first co-sell opportunity or practice pitch. Get partners selling quickly. Join them on a sales call with one of their existing customers. Or run practice scenarios where they pitch your product. Active selling builds confidence faster than passive learning.

Create a 90-day plan with specific milestones. Define what success looks like at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. Share this plan during onboarding. Check progress weekly for the first month, then bi-weekly.

Assign a dedicated partner manager or allocate a percentage of someone's time. Partners need a single point of contact. They need someone who answers questions quickly. Responsiveness during onboarding predicts long-term partner success.

The common failure point is signing partners and then not supporting them. You are busy with other priorities. The partner does not demand attention. Months pass without progress. Eventually, both sides give up. Avoid this by committing resources upfront.

The success metric is first deal registered within 60 days. This proves the partner is actively selling. It demonstrates they understand your product well enough to identify opportunities. It creates momentum.

Entering International Markets Through Channel Partners

Why Channels Work for International Expansion

International expansion through channels reduces risk and capital requirements. Opening an office in another country costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. You need legal entity setup, office space, local hiring, and regulatory compliance. This takes six to twelve months before you close the first deal.

Channel partners already have local presence. They employ local sales teams who speak the language and understand cultural norms. They have established customer relationships. They know how procurement works in that market.

Partners provide market knowledge you cannot easily replicate. Buying behaviors differ across regions. Enterprise sales in Germany follow different patterns than in the United States. Partners guide you through these differences.

Cultural and language barriers decrease with local partners. Your sales materials may not translate directly. Your value propositions may need adjustment. Partners adapt your message for their market.

Regulatory compliance support matters for data-intensive products. Partners understand local data residency requirements, privacy laws, and industry regulations. They help customers navigate compliance questions.

Channels let you test market viability before major investment. Start with one partner in a new country. See if customers buy your product. Validate pricing and positioning. Learn what works before committing to permanent presence.

Consider the alternative. European expansion through three regional partners requires partner margins and travel costs. Compare this to opening offices in London, Frankfurt, and Paris with local teams. The partner approach costs 60 to 70 percent less and produces revenue 6 to 9 months faster.

Selecting International Partners

International partner selection requires more due diligence than domestic partnerships. Distance makes problems harder to fix. Cultural differences create misunderstandings. Poor partner choices in new markets can permanently damage your brand.

Verify local market presence and reputation. Ask for customer references in the target market. Check how long the partner has operated there. Look for online reviews and industry recognition. Confirm they have physical presence, not just remote coverage.

Language capabilities matter for sales and support. The partner needs native speakers who can handle complex product discussions. Technical support in English only will not work for most markets. Confirm language capabilities across sales, technical, and support teams.

Understanding of local procurement processes is critical for enterprise deals. Some markets require specific vendor certifications. Some have mandatory tender processes. Some involve longer approval chains. Partners should guide you through local procurement requirements.

Currency and payment processing capabilities affect deal flow. Can the partner transact in local currency? Do they handle VAT and local taxes? Can they invoice according to local requirements? Payment friction kills deals.

Time zone coverage impacts customer support quality. If you only provide support during US business hours, customers in Asia will suffer. Partners need capacity to handle support during local business hours or clear escalation paths to your team.

Conduct thorough due diligence. Check references from other vendors they partner with. Review financial stability through credit reports or financial statements. Verify they have resources to invest in your product. Evaluate existing partnerships for potential conflicts.

Watch for red flags. Partners who represent direct competitors create obvious conflicts. Partners who project unrealistic revenue without market validation are overselling. Partners who resist using your systems and processes will not execute your program properly.

Start with one country or region. Prove the international partner model works before expanding to multiple markets simultaneously. Learn from the first partnership. Document what works and what needs adjustment. Then replicate the model.

Adapting Your Program for International Partners

Your domestic partner program needs modification for international markets. Pricing, materials, support, and operations all require localization.

Pricing adjustments reflect local purchasing power and competitive dynamics. Your US pricing may be too high for emerging markets or too low for premium markets. Research local competitive pricing. Adjust to match market conditions. Some companies use purchasing power parity as a starting point.

Localized sales materials and product documentation are non-negotiable. Machine translation produces poor results for sales content. Invest in professional translation and cultural adaptation. Partners can help review materials for local relevance.

Time zone considerations affect training and support. Schedule calls at reasonable hours for international partners. Record training sessions for asynchronous viewing. Provide written documentation that partners can reference without calling you.

Payment methods and currency options need to match local norms. Some markets prefer wire transfers. Others use local payment systems. Some require invoicing in local currency. Understand and accommodate local payment preferences.

Legal agreements must comply with local partnership laws. Contract terms that work in the United States may not be enforceable elsewhere. Work with legal counsel familiar with the target market. Have agreements reviewed by local attorneys.

Cultural differences impact sales approaches. Some markets prioritize relationship-building over transactional efficiency. Enterprise sales in Japan require different protocols than in Australia. Partners understand these nuances. Listen to their guidance on local sales practices.

Communication cadence needs to be deliberate. Monthly calls should be the minimum for international partners. Quarterly in-person visits build stronger relationships when travel is feasible. Regular touchpoints prevent misalignment.

Consider a real example. A software company entered APAC through a Singapore partner. They assumed their 3-month US sales cycle would apply. The partner explained that local enterprise deals require 6-month sales cycles due to different approval processes. The company adjusted expectations and pipeline planning accordingly. This prevented disappointment and maintained partner confidence.

Budget for localization overhead. Translation costs 15 to 25 cents per word. International travel runs $3,000 to $5,000 per trip. Legal review for each market adds $5,000 to $15,000. Time zone differences require extended team coverage. Estimate 20 to 30 percent program overhead for international markets compared to domestic.

Track metrics by region. Deal registration by country shows where partners are active. Time to first deal by region reveals market differences. Average deal size variance indicates pricing effectiveness. Win rates by partner show which partnerships work best. Use this data to optimize your international program.

Managing and Scaling Your Channel Program

Key Performance Indicators

Measure what matters. Channel programs generate data, but only some metrics actually predict success.

Partner-sourced revenue as a percentage of total revenue shows program impact. Track this monthly. Benchmark against your goals. Most mature programs reach 30 to 40 percent of revenue from channels within three years.

Number of active partners matters more than total partners. Define active as partners who registered at least one deal in the last 90 days. You might have 20 signed partners but only 8 active. Focus resources on active partners.

Average deal size through partners versus direct sales reveals partner capabilities. Partners sometimes close smaller deals because they serve smaller customers. Or they might close larger deals by bundling your product into bigger projects. This metric guides partner selection and support.

Sales cycle length comparison shows efficiency differences. Partner deals often take longer because partners add steps to your sales process. Understand normal variance versus problem variance. A 15 percent longer cycle might be acceptable. A 50 percent longer cycle signals issues.

Distinguish partner-sourced deals from partner-influenced deals. Partner-sourced means the partner found the customer and drove the sale. Partner-influenced means the partner helped close a deal your team found. Both have value, but sourced deals prove true partner sales capacity.

Training completion rates predict partner success. Partners who complete certification close more deals. Track who finishes training. Follow up with partners who do not complete programs.

Time to first deal by partner helps identify onboarding problems. If most partners register deals within 60 days but some take 180 days, investigate why. Poor onboarding, wrong partner selection, or insufficient support might be the cause.

Partner satisfaction scores from quarterly surveys reveal relationship health. Ask partners to rate support quality, margin adequacy, and program resources. Anonymous surveys get honest feedback. Address recurring complaints quickly.

Build a simple dashboard. Track 15 total partners, 8 active partners generating 22 percent of revenue with 15 percent longer sales cycles. Update monthly. Share with leadership. This single view drives program decisions.

Benchmark your performance. Top-performing channel programs see 30 to 40 percent of revenue from partners by year three. Average programs see 15 to 25 percent. Below-average programs see less than 10 percent. Know where you stand.

Common Problems and Solutions

Every channel program faces predictable challenges. The key is recognizing problems early and fixing them systematically.

Channel conflict between partners and direct sales kills programs. Your sales rep contacts a prospect. Your partner also has a relationship with that prospect. Both claim the deal. Implement clear rules of engagement. Deal registration solves most conflicts. First to register owns the opportunity. Back your partners when they register properly.

Inactive partners waste program resources. Some partners sign agreements with good intentions but never sell your product. Create a formal review process. At 90 days, assess progress. If a partner has not registered deals by 180 days, start exit conversations. Accept that some partnerships will not work.

Partners selling competitor products split their attention. They cannot promote your solution if they are actively selling alternatives. Address this through exclusivity terms or better incentives. If a partner performs well with competitors, improve your program until you win their mindshare.

Lack of partner mindshare happens when your product is not profitable enough. Partners prioritize products that make them money. If they earn more selling other solutions, they will. Increase margins or provide better leads. Make your product their easiest path to revenue.

Quality concerns in partner sales damage your brand. Partners cut corners on implementation. Partners overpromise features. Partners sell to poor-fit customers. Enhanced certification requirements help. Regular quality audits catch problems. Remove partners who cannot maintain standards.

Use this framework to solve problems. First, clearly identify the problem with data. Second, diagnose the root cause through partner conversations. Third, test a solution with one partner. Fourth, roll out the solution to all partners if it works. This prevents program-wide changes based on one partner's complaint.

Accept attrition as normal. Thirty to 40 percent of partners will not work out in the first year. Some realize your product does not fit their portfolio. Some lack capacity to support another vendor. Some lose key salespeople who championed your partnership. This is not failure. This is normal program management.

Scaling From 5 to 50 Partners

Scaling requires systems, not just more partners. Adding partners without infrastructure creates chaos.

Hire dedicated partner managers at 10 or more active partners. Use a 1-to-10 ratio. One partner manager can effectively support 10 partners. Beyond that, quality suffers. Partners need responsive support. Too many partners per manager means slow responses and weak relationships.

Automate onboarding and training through learning management systems. Record training videos. Create self-service certification paths. Build automated onboarding workflows. This frees partner managers from repetitive tasks and ensures consistent partner experiences.

Create partner tiers with different support levels. Gold partners get dedicated resources and higher margins. Silver partners get standard support. Bronze partners have access to self-service resources. This focuses your team on partners who drive revenue.

Regional partner events and user groups build community. Quarterly partner summits let partners network with each other. Regional dinners create local connections. Partner advisory boards provide program feedback. Community reduces partner isolation and increases loyalty.

Form a partner advisory board once you have 15 or more partners. Select 4 to 6 high-performing partners. Meet quarterly to discuss program changes. Let partners guide your roadmap. They know what works and what needs improvement.

Time your scaling correctly. Do not jump from 5 to 50 partners in six months. Scale after proving that 5 partners can consistently generate revenue. Add partners in cohorts of 5 to 10. Let each cohort stabilize before adding more. Measured growth prevents program collapse.

Real-World Examples and Benchmarks

Theory matters less than results. These examples show what actually happens when companies execute channel strategies.

A B2B SaaS company grew from $10 million to $50 million in annual recurring revenue over two years. Thirty-five percent came from channel partners. They started with 3 pilot partners, validated the model in 6 months, then scaled to 15 partners by month 12 and 30 partners by month 24. Eight partners drove 80 percent of channel revenue. They invested $400,000 annually in partner programs including two full-time partner managers, a partner portal, and quarterly partner events. Partner-sourced revenue cost 15 percent less to acquire than direct sales when accounting for fully-loaded costs.

A cybersecurity vendor entered three new countries through regional partners over 18 months. They achieved $5 million in international revenue. They selected one partner in the UK, one in Germany, and one in Australia. Each partner had existing managed security service offerings. The vendor provided localized materials in German and adapted pricing for each market. UK revenue started in month 3, Germany in month 6, and Australia in month 8. Different sales cycles in each region required different support models. The vendor spent $250,000 on international partner programs including travel, translation, and local legal counsel. This approach cost 60 percent less than opening three international offices.

A failed channel program provides lessons too. A company signed 30 partners in their first year. Only 3 produced revenue. The diagnosis revealed several problems. They accepted any partner who applied without qualification criteria. They provided no onboarding support beyond sending login credentials. They offered 15 percent margins when competitors offered 30 percent. Partners had no incentive to prioritize their product. The turnaround took 8 months. They exited 22 partners, doubled margins for remaining partners, implemented proper onboarding, and hired a dedicated partner manager. Six months later, 5 of the 8 remaining partners actively sold their product.

Industry benchmarks vary by company size and market. Companies under $10 million in revenue typically see 10 to 15 percent from partners. Companies from $10 million to $50 million see 20 to 30 percent. Companies over $50 million see 30 to 40 percent or more. These numbers take 2 to 4 years to achieve. Fast growth happens in year 2 and 3, not year 1.

Typical timelines show 6 months to first partner revenue after signing your first partner. Eighteen months to meaningful revenue contribution of 15 to 20 percent of total. Thirty-six months to mature program performance of 30 percent or more. Companies that expect faster results usually face disappointment.

Investment required runs $200,000 to $500,000 annually for a program of 10 to 15 partners. This includes partner manager salaries, portal and training systems, marketing development funds, travel, and program overhead. Larger programs with 30 or more partners require $500,000 to $1 million annually. Calculate ROI by comparing partner revenue to program costs. Most programs achieve positive ROI by month 18 to 24.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Channel strategy is a long-term investment, not a quick revenue fix. Results come from sustained commitment, not occasional attention. Companies that treat partners as afterthoughts get afterthought results.

Start small with 3 to 5 ideal partners before scaling. Prove the model works. Learn what partners need from you. Refine your program based on real feedback. Scale what works, not what sounds good in theory.

Invest in partner success through training, enablement, and support. Partners have choices. They can sell your product or your competitor's. They choose based on which vendor makes their life easier and more profitable. Be that vendor.

International expansion through channels reduces risk and capital requirements. You can enter new markets in months instead of years. You can test market viability before major investment. Partners provide local knowledge and relationships you cannot easily replicate.

Most successful programs take 12 to 18 months to show significant results. Month 1 to 6 focus on recruitment and onboarding. Month 6 to 12 deliver first meaningful revenue. Month 12 to 18 prove the model at scale. Companies that abandon programs before month 12 never see the payoff.

Take these immediate action steps. First, define your ideal partner profile using customer overlap, complementary offerings, capacity, and geographic coverage criteria. Second, identify 10 target partners through industry associations, existing customer relationships, and LinkedIn searches. Third, create a basic partner economics model showing margin, average deal sizes, and revenue projections. Fourth, draft a partner pitch that focuses on their revenue opportunity with proof points. Fifth, build a minimum viable onboarding process covering weeks 1 through 4.

Channel partnerships extend your reach without proportional cost increase. Your direct sales team can only cover so much territory. Partners multiply your market presence. The math works when you execute properly.

Companies that treat partners as true extensions of their sales team see the best results. This means responsive support, fair economics, and genuine investment in partner success. Half measures produce half results.

Start focused, measure ruthlessly, and scale what works. Your first 5 partners teach you more than any guide or consultant can. Listen to what they tell you. Fix what does not work. Double down on what does. Build your program based on evidence, not assumptions.