The Core Problem with Partner Materials (And How to Actually Solve It)
Sharing sales and marketing materials with partners is often inefficient and lacks tracking. Learn how to solve the root problem by switching from file-sharing to secure, trackable link-based sharing.
Many companies invest significant resources into creating compelling sales and marketing materials for their channel partners. They build beautiful slide decks, detailed spec sheets, and co-branded case studies. But a critical problem emerges the moment they hit 'send' on that email: they have no idea what happens next.
The Limitations of Traditional File Sharing
The core issue isn't the quality of the materials themselves, but the outdated method of sharing them. Sending documents as email attachments or using generic file-hosting links (like Google Drive or Dropbox) creates a host of frustrating problems:
- No Version Control: You send out a new proposal deck. An hour later, you spot a typo or a pricing error. You have to send a
V2_final_final.pdf, creating confusion and risking your partner presenting outdated information to a client. - Zero Visibility: Did your partners open the new battlecard? Are they even using the expensive case study you commissioned? With file-sharing, you're completely in the dark. You can't distinguish engaged partners from inactive ones.
- Poor Mobile Experience: A potential client opening a 50MB PDF on their phone is forced to pinch, zoom, and struggle through a document not designed for their screen. The poor experience reflects badly on both you and your partner.
- Administrative Hassle: Partners are busy. Forcing them to search through emails or a messy shared folder just to find the latest product one-sheeter is an unnecessary burden that lowers their engagement.
The Solution: Shift from Files to Links
The most effective way to solve these issues is to change the delivery mechanism itself. Instead of sending a static file that you immediately lose control over, you should be sending a smart, trackable web link that points to the document. This approach fundamentally changes the dynamic of document sharing. The document lives online, and everyone gets a link to the single source of truth. It’s a simple shift that eliminates the most common friction points in partner communication.
You can solve these frustrations with a simple link and modernize your partner material workflow.
How Link-Based Sharing Solves Partner Material Problems
Services like Featpaper are designed specifically to implement this modern, link-based sharing method. It’s not about changing what you create (your PDFs, slide decks, and Figma designs are fine), but how you deliver it. The difference in experience is stark:
| Old Way (File Sharing) | New Way (Link Sharing with Featpaper) |
|---|---|
| Send a PDF attachment. | Send a single Featpaper link. |
Spot an error, frantically email V2_final.pdf to everyone. | Update the document in Featpaper. The link automatically shows the new version. No re-sending needed. |
| Wonder if anyone opened the file. | Check your dashboard to see who viewed the link, which pages they read, and for how long. |
| Partner's client struggles to view it on mobile. | The document is presented in a clean, responsive viewer optimized for any device. |
Tired of the file-sharing chaos? See how you can change your entire partner material workflow by sharing documents as a secure, trackable link. Discover the new standard with Featpaper.
A Realistic Usage Scenario
Imagine you're a channel manager launching a new co-branded marketing campaign. Before: You would email a ZIP file containing the campaign brief, slide decks, and banner ad examples to your 50 regional partners. You'd get a few "Got it, thanks" replies, but you have no real insight. Two weeks later, you have no data on which partners are actively promoting the campaign, and you hear that one of your biggest partners is still using assets with last year's branding because they missed the update email. After Featpaper: You upload all campaign materials into a single Featpaper link. You share this one link with all 50 partners. Your dashboard immediately shows that 35 partners have accessed the materials. You can see that five of them have spent significant time reviewing the campaign brief and slide deck. When a branding update is required, you simply replace the file in Featpaper. The link remains the same, ensuring every partner always has the latest version. Now, you can focus your follow-up efforts on the highly engaged partners and offer support to those who haven't yet viewed the materials. ➡️ Stop Resending Files—Share a Smarter Link