4 considerations for becoming a Salesforce OSP partner

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Recently I wrote a longer introduction to What is Salesforce’s Outsourced Service Provider partner program or OSP partner program. I’ve had a number of conversations with smaller firms looking at this as a possible way to differentiate themselves from the slew of Salesforce partners out there. For some firms this is a great option—namely those who can manage the investment and risks. Read on to see if it’s the right option for your business.

To recap - what is Salesforce’s OSP Partner Program?

Very simply, OSP gives partners a way to generate revenue off of license sales - something that North American partners haven’t been able to do before. But, it’s not a reseller model. The goal of the program is to open up markets for Salesforce licenses in ways that haven’t been previously available. An OSP deal is typically less about selling clouds and more about selling market-ready solutions that solve use cases for specific markets, segments, and industries.

There are more partners than ever in 2024, even though deals are slower to close and demand for services is flat, to down, in many areas. Here’s the thing though - even though Salesforce is investing in OSP for smaller opportunities, there are some hurdles to jump through to get their attention, and honestly, to ensure you have a viable solution that will sell.

4 things Salesforce is looking for new OSP partners to bring to the table.

1. TAM: What is the Total Addressable Market (TAM) for what you’re selling? There are a number of ways to decipher TAM—ask ChatGPT to point you in the right direction. Why is TAM important? Salesforce wants to know that you’re looking to address a key market that they don’t serve well currently. 

2. Key Customers/Prospects: Do you already have customers for the solution you want to bring to market? Who are some key prospects you can bring to the table? (Remember, Salesforce wants to grow its business at the end of the day.)

3. Market Need: Is there a market need not being met, or being met poorly by a competitive-to-Salesforce offering? Can you help Salesforce to win/expand customers in areas outside what businesses consider “within the Salesforce wheelhouse?”

4. Investments/Cash: Do you have additional funding to invest in growing this piece of the business? There would be development, marketing and operational costs for bringing a solution to market. Are you prepared to make the investment?

Now that Salesforce is looking for partners to drive leads for license, OSP could be a good way for you to become more important to the Salesforce field organization and improve your bottom line.

I’ve advised and worked with a few partners on OSP. While there are other considerations for becoming a Salesforce OSP partner that I can help you navigate, these four will be the key points to address. If this is something you want to consider, reach out and let’s discuss.

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