Mastering Agency Partnerships: How to Scale Your Agency and Generate Good Revenues

Many agencies hits that stage where they’re delivering results, have a great portfolio, and have a few retainers as well, but scaling beyond that feels like pushing a boulder uphill.

At this point, referrals slow down, ads get expensive, and cold outreach barely works.

So, if an agency owner is serious about building a 7+ figure agency, they must think beyond traditional lead generation. They need to get serious about strategic partnerships.

But what are strategic partnerships? Let’s find out.

The Power of Strategic Partnerships

Partnerships are how modern agencies scale without blowing budgets. They bring in warm leads, improve close rates, and unlock credibility by association, all while reducing your cost per acquisition.

According to Forrester, partner-influenced revenue accounts for over 50% of B2B revenue. That stat alone should make agency owners take notice.

Also, you don’t need to partner with giant firms to see results. Even a few well-structured partnerships with complementary service providers can open up consistent, high-quality deal flow.

Look at agencies inside the Cloudways Agency Partnership Program. They’re leveraging co-marketing, expert support, and strategic alignment with other partners to grow faster and with less friction.

You can also enlist your agency’s website here.

Now let’s walk through the 3 core phases of building agency partnerships that actually help an agency scale:

1. Mastering the Basics (Dribbling)
2. Creating Opportunities (Passing)
3. Closing & Scaling (Shooting)

We’ll examine all three phases closely, so by the end, you’ll know exactly how to use partnerships to grow your agency and build a repeatable system that does the heavy lifting.

Phase#1: Mastering the Basics of Partnerships (Dribbling)

You need a strong foundation before you reach out to anyone or draft a pitch. Partnerships only work when both sides know exactly what’s being offered and why it’s worth sharing.

This is your “dribbling” phase, where you get your offer, positioning, and presentation in shape. To excel in this phase, take care of the following things:

1. Know Your Strength

Every agency needs a clear niche or standout offer. Vague services don’t convert well in partnership referrals.

Ask yourself:

• What do we do exceptionally well?
• Who is our ideal client?
• What problems do we solve better than most?

If a partner can’t explain that in one sentence, they won’t refer you.

Example: Instead of saying, “We build websites,” say, “We design lightning-fast Shopify stores optimized for conversions.”

2. Package It for Partners

Make your offer partnership-ready by keeping it:

• Easy to explain
• Templated or productized
• Low-friction to refer

Consider putting together:

• A one-pager with your core service and referral incentive
• A dedicated landing page for referrals
• A client onboarding process that doesn’t overwhelm

Tip: Even a simple Google Doc with your service summary, who it’s for, and what’s in it for the partner can go a long way.

3. Offer Real Value First

Don’t pitch immediately. Instead, look for ways to be helpful:

• Offer a free audit or consultation for their clients
• Share resources or tips that their audience would find valuable
• Introduce them to someone in your network

Start with give, not ask, and you’ll build trust much faster.

How Cloudways Makes It Easier

If you’re on Cloudways (or planning to be), their Agency Partnership Program gives you tools to solidify your foundation:

• Access to co-branded materials
• Onboarding discounts
• Growth bonuses as you scale
• A dedicated partner manager to support client migrations and setup

It’s a solid way to look more credible when you start building your partner network.

Phase#2: Creating Partnership Opportunities (Passing)

Now that your offer is clear and referral-ready, it’s time to make a move. This stage is all about finding the right partners and starting real conversations, without sounding like a spammy pitch machine.

This is your “passing game,” where you’re setting others up to help you win. In this phase, you must:

1. Find Complementary Agencies

Your best partners won’t compete with you; they’ll complement your services.

Look for:

• Dev shops if you do design
• SEO firms if you do content
• Copywriters if you build funnels

These agencies already talk to the clients you want, but offer different services. That’s where the magic happens.

Start by making a list of 10-15 agencies with aligned values, services, or clients. Use LinkedIn, agency directories, or even your own client network.

2. Start Conversations, Not Sales Pitches

The worst way to start a partnership? A cold message asking for referrals.

And the best way? Start with value.

Here are a few ways to open the door:

• Compliment their recent work or case study
• Offer to feature them in your newsletter or blog
• Suggest a small collaboration, like a webinar or content swap

The goal isn’t to close a deal on the first message. It’s to start a relationship.

3. Make It Easy to Refer You

Once a conversation moves forward, help your partner help you.

Provide:

• A short intro script they can copy-paste
• A landing page with a clear CTA
• A referral incentive (flat fee, % commission, or lead swap)

The simpler it is, the more likely they’ll act on it.

Referral leads have a 30% higher conversion rate than leads from other sources (saasquatch).

Bonus Tip: Tap Into Existing Communities

Partnerships don’t always start one-on-one. Look into:

• Slack groups (e.g., Online Geniuses, Traffic Think Tank)
• LinkedIn groups for agency owners
• Community forums related to your niche

Be helpful, answer questions, and naturally build relationships. Many agencies find their best partners by just showing up and giving value.

Phase#3: Closing Partnership Deals (Shooting)

You’ve had the conversations. Now comes the part that moves the needle to turn interest into actual revenue-generating partnerships. This is your “shooting” phase.

1. Set Clear Terms

Don’t overcomplicate it. A solid partnership needs:

• What each side is offering (referrals, services, exposure)
• How referrals are tracked
• What incentives exist (if any)

You don’t need legal contracts for every deal, but you do need a clear agreement, preferably in writing, even if it’s just an email summary.

Example:

• Referred client books service → referrer earns 15% of first invoice
• Handoff via email intro → tracked in CRM

2. Build a Repeatable Handoff Process

Referrals fall apart when the process is clunky. Set up a quick and smooth handoff:

• Calendar link or lead intake form
• Follow-up email templates
• Quick overview of what happens after the intro

The easier you make it, the more often your partner will send clients your way.

Tip: Use automation tools like Calendly, Airtable, or Zapier to track leads and keep everyone in the loop.

3. Reward and Recognize Your Partners

Your partners are helping you grow; treat them like it.

Ways to keep them engaged:

• Send a thank-you or small gift after a referral closes
• Feature them on your blog or social media
• Create a bonus tier for partners who send multiple leads

Retention matters here too. A good partner today could become your biggest growth driver over time.

Real-Life Example: How One Agency Scaled to €10M+ with the Right Partnership

Just look at Ingenius, a WordPress development agency based in France.

By partnering with Cloudways and using their high-performance hosting stack, Ingenius scaled to manage over 280 websites, including 100 eCommerce stores, and generated more than €10 million in annual revenue.

Thanks to the performance gains, with websites running 30% faster using Vultr HF servers, they retained more clients and delivered stronger results.

As their CEO Tristan Gatellier shared, “Cloudways offers high-performance solutions… we’ve seen a performance improvement of around 30 percent compared to a conventional hosting provider.”

That is the kind of growth a well-aligned partnership can bring.

Types of Partnerships: From Basic to Mega

Not all partnerships are equal. Some are casual, others strategic. The key is knowing what type of partnership you’re building and how to manage it.

Let’s break it down.

1. Basic Partners

These are your “occasional referrers.” Maybe you met at an event or worked together once, and kept in touch.

Great for:

• Small agencies
• Freelancers
• One-off referrals

Keep them in the loop with occasional check-ins and shareable resources. They’re not going to flood your inbox with leads, but they’re easy wins.

2. Promoters

These are advocates who actively talk about your services.

They may:

• Refer clients consistently
• Share your content
• Mention you on podcasts or in communities

Great for:

• Co-branded campaigns
• Ongoing lead flow
• Low-effort, high-trust marketing

Nurture these relationships. A simple monthly update or case study can help them promote you even better.

3. Mega Partners

These are high-leverage, strategic agency partnerships. You’re aligned on audience, values, and goals and may even build shared products, offers, or funnels.

Great for:

• Driving serious revenue
• Building joint ventures
• Scaling client acquisition without paid ads

These partnerships are built slowly, with mutual trust and regular collaboration. Think: joint webinars, exclusive offers, shared Slack channels, or formal affiliate structures.

Example: Cloudways’ Tiered Partnership Approach

The Cloudways Agency Partnership Program is built on this model, letting you scale from basic to mega through tiered benefits:

• Bronze: Priority support and access to resources
• Silver: Dedicated manager and onboarding help
• Gold & Platinum: Hosting credits, co-marketing, and featured listings

Read the full benefits here.

As your spend and activity grow, so do the rewards and relationship depth.

Using Partnerships to Fuel Lead Generation

The real power kicks in once your partnerships are in place: lead flow. Done right, agency partnerships can become your most cost-effective, reliable source of new business.

Here’s how.

1. Access to New Audiences

The best partnerships open doors you couldn’t get through alone.

A co-branded webinar, newsletter feature, or simple shoutout from a trusted partner can introduce your agency to hundreds or thousands of warm prospects.

These aren’t cold leads. These are vetted introductions, often with trust built-in.

Did you know that referral leads convert 30% better and have a 37% higher retention rate (invesp).

2. Built-In Word of Mouth

Great partnerships naturally lead to referrals. If your agency delivers quality work, your partners will keep talking about you, without you having to ask.

You essentially create a network of sales reps who already believe in what you offer.

Tip: Keep your partners updated on results. The more wins they see, the more confident they’ll feel referring others.

3. Growth Without Growing Costs

Unlike paid ads or outbound sales, partnerships don’t scale your overhead.

There’s no cost per click. No monthly ad spend. Just shared value and mutual growth.

Even better? You can layer partnerships on top of your existing sales funnel to reduce your CAC while improving close rates.

Real-World Example: Leveraging Cloudways to Scale

Cloudways partners report lower friction when onboarding referred clients, thanks to:

• Free migrations
• Dedicated partner managers
• Expert 24/7 support

When your backend is seamless, you close deals faster and retain clients longer, two keys to sustainable growth.

And if you’re part of the Cloudways Agency Partnership Program, you’ll also get:

• Co-marketing opportunities
• Partner directory exposure
• Hosting credits as your business scales

That’s how you turn backend support into frontend momentum.

Conclusion: Scaling Your Agency with Strategic Partnerships

If you’ve been trying to grow your agency with just cold outreach or paid ads, it’s time to shift gears.

Strategic partnerships offer a smarter, more sustainable way to scale, giving you access to warm leads, new audiences, and long-term client trust without burning out your team or budget.

To recap, here’s your game plan:

• Dribble: Clarify your offer and prep your assets
• Pass: Build real relationships with complementary agencies
• Shoot: Close clean, win-win deals with repeatable processes
• Scale: Turn partnerships into a lead engine with built-in trust

Whether you’re just starting or ready to level up your existing partner program, the opportunity is real and right now, agencies that build partner ecosystems are outpacing those that don’t.

And if you’re looking for a head start, the Cloudways Agency Partnership Program is built to help you do just that.

You’ll get:

• A dedicated success manager
• Access to hosting credits and co-marketing
• Listing in the agency directory
• And a tiered system that rewards growth automatically

Best part? It’s free to join and built specifically for agencies like yours. So, take the first step, check out the program, and see where it can take your agency.