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Hello and welcome back, we are now on the 154th edition of Fresh Salmon, your go-to B2B marketing newsletter, which is read by 4,000 founders, marketers, sales professionals, and product managers, across the world.

Today’s edition of Fresh Salmon dives into a topic that’s been confusing marketers for years: partnerships, networks, referral channels, and the blurry lines between them in the B2B world.

These buzzwords get tossed around like candy, but here’s the deal—most companies are looking at them through a narrow lens.

Let me clear the fog: the future of marketing channels isn’t about discovering entirely new platforms; it’s about leveraging what’s already around you — your partnerships, peer networks, ex-customers, and connections.

And here’s the kicker: Most folks evaluate these partnerships purely on one dimension — “Will it give us leads?” — and stop there. That’s the big mistake.

With rising ad costs, insane competition, and a buyer attention span shorter than your morning coffee break, you need a multi-dimensional approach to partnerships.

Let’s break it down:

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1. Distribution First

Before you think about leads, think about eyeballs.
Question: Can this partnership put your brand in front of the right audience?
If nobody sees you, they’ll never know you exist. Game over. Partnerships are a powerful way to get your brand noticed—especially by the right people.

2. Positioning Power

Next up: How does this partnership make you look in the market?
Who you partner with says a lot about your brand. Think of it like being at a party—do you hang out with the cool, influential crowd or the group nobody notices? Positioning is about being seen in the right light.

Here’s where I shamelessly plug my own work. At TopHealth, we’re building a thought leadership platform for healthcare. When healthcare companies partner with us, they position themselves as leaders in front of their ideal audience. Compare that to hosting a company-branded podcast that screams “sales pitch.” The right positioning creates trust and credibility, and that’s priceless.

Meet our secondary partner for today’s edition: AdQuick. Check them out 👇👇

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3. Word of Mouth on Steroids

Let’s talk about complementary solutions.
When you partner with businesses that complete the same value chain, you’re setting up a win-win-win dynamic. Think of it as a referral machine powered by shared success. When one party refers another, everybody benefits. And guess what? That’s the kind of word-of-mouth marketing money can’t buy.

4. Node-Based Networking

Here’s the big one: Networks are not just people—they’re nodes that can connect you to your target accounts.
Want to break into certain companies or industries? Your peer networks and partnerships can serve as those all-important bridges. Engage with those nodes strategically, and they’ll help you crack open opportunities you never thought possible.

The Bottom Line

Stop thinking of partnerships, networks, and referrals as simple lead generators. They’re much more than that:

• They amplify your distribution.

• They elevate your positioning.

• They spark word-of-mouth growth.

• They unlock key connections.

The B2B world is noisy and competitive, and attention is the new currency. By using a multi-dimensional approach to partnerships and networks, you can cut through the clutter and build a sustainable growth engine.

So, the next time you hear “partnership,” don’t just think leads—think eyeballs, perception, word-of-mouth, and connections.

What’s your favorite way to use partnerships or networks? Hit reply and let me know —I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Meet our secondary partner for today’s edition: Hubspot. Check them out 👇👇

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Interesting Thing That I Posted This Week

To be honest, the only answer that really made sense was by Arthur Castillo -

Tweet That I Posted This Week

This concludes this edition of Fresh Salmon. And once again….

Do what is good for your soul ❤️

All the best,

Vivek

PS. Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways in which I can help you and your business:

#1: B2B Marketing Consulting and Go-To-Market Advisory for your business.

#2: 1-on-1 Personal Coaching and Mentoring on anything related to Marketing and Go-To-Market Strategies for you.

#3: Promoting you or your brand via this newsletter.

For any of these things just shoot me a reply, and we will arrange a time to chat.