Here’s a streamlined Joint Business Plan (JBP) template designed for partnerships, vendor alliances, or co-marketing ventures. It focuses on alignment rather than corporate bureaucracy.

JOINT BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

1. Partnership Snapshot

The "elevator pitch" of your alliance

• Partners: [Company A] + [Company B]
• Partnership Type: [Strategic alliance / Channel partnership / Joint venture / Co-marketing]
• Start Date: [Date] | Review Cycle: [Quarterly/Monthly]
• Relationship Owners: [Name from each org + titles]
• Current Status: [New partnership / Renewal / Expansion]

2. The Opportunity (Why this matters)

• Market Gap: [Specific problem you're solving together]
• Target Audience: [Joint customer segment]
• Combined Strengths:
  • Partner A brings: [Capability/asset]
  • Partner B brings: [Capability/asset]
• Shared Vision Statement: [One sentence on what success looks like in 12 months]

3. Joint Objectives & KPIs

What does "winning" look like for BOTH sides?

Individual Partner Goals:

• Partner A priorities: [Their specific ROI/needs]
• Partner B priorities: [Their specific ROI/needs]

4. Roles & Responsibilities

Clear RACI to prevent "I thought YOU were doing that"

Decision-Making Protocol:

• Day-to-day decisions: [Who/how]
• Strategic changes: [Veto rights/consensus required?]
• Conflict resolution: [Escalation path to executives]

5. Joint Value Proposition

The customer-facing story

• Unified Offering: [How your products/services work together]
• Customer Benefit: [Specific outcome for end user]
• Differentiation: [Why this partnership beats competitors]

6. Go-to-Market Plan

How you'll execute together

Phase 1: Setup [Dates]

• Legal agreements signed
• Systems integration/data sharing setup
• Joint training completed

Phase 2: Launch [Dates]

• Joint marketing campaign: [Details]
• Sales play/training rollout
• Pilot customer: [Name/target]

Phase 3: Scale [Dates]

• Expansion criteria: [When to invest more]
• New market/product additions: [If applicable]

7. Investment & Economics

• Financial Contributions:
  • Partner A investing: [$X or in-kind resources]
  • Partner B investing: [$Y or in-kind resources]
• Revenue Sharing: [Split percentages or commission structure]
• Cost Allocation: [Who pays for what—marketing, travel, tech]

8. Governance & Communication

• Standing Meetings:
  • Weekly tactical: [Day/time/format]
  • Monthly business review: [Agenda items]
  • Quarterly executive summit: [Strategic alignment]
• Shared Tools: [CRM access, Slack channel, shared drive]
• Reporting: [Dashboard format/update frequency]

9. Risk Management

10. Sign-Off

Alignment confirmation

• Partner A: _________________________ Date: _______
• Partner B: _________________________ Date: _______

Quick Implementation Tips:

1. Start with a "One-Pager" – Fill out just Sections 1-3 first. Get verbal agreement before writing the full plan.
2. Use Mutually Meaningful Metrics – Avoid tracking only what matters to one side (e.g., vendor tracks only revenue, partner tracks only leads).
3. Assign "Relationship Champions" – Not just account managers, but people with authority to make decisions quickly.
4. Review Quarterly – Business conditions change; revisit the "Joint Objectives" section every 90 days.

Common Pitfall to Avoid: Don't copy-paste individual company goals into the "Joint Objectives" section. If Partner A wants brand awareness and Partner B wants immediate sales, write a reconciled joint goal like "Drive awareness among qualified prospects resulting in X pipeline."

To customize this for you:

• Are you creating this for a vendor/retailer relationship (like a CPG brand + grocery store), a tech partnership (integration), or a sales alliance (referral partner)?
• What stage is the partnership—new or existing/renewal?
• What’s the biggest friction point you’re trying to solve with this plan?

I can provide specific examples for your industry or help you draft the actual content for any section above.

A Joint Business Plan (JBP) is a collaborative roadmap between two parties (e.g., a supplier and a retailer, or two strategic partners) designed to drive mutual growth. To be effective, it must move beyond basic sales targets and focus on shared value.

Follow this step-by-step template to build and execute your plan.

Phase 1: Preparation (The Alignment Meeting)

Before filling out the template, schedule a "Discovery Session" with your partner.

• Share Data: Exchange performance data from the previous 12 months.
• Identify Gaps: Where did you miss opportunities?
• Define "Win-Win": What does success look like for them (e.g., higher margin) vs. you (e.g., brand awareness)?

Phase 2: The JBP Template

Copy and paste this into a shared document or slide deck.

1. Executive Summary & Vision

• Partnership Mission: (Example: To become the #1 provider of sustainable packaging in the Pacific Northwest by 2025.)
• Top 3 Strategic Pillars: (Example: Product Innovation, Supply Chain Efficiency, Customer Experience.)

2. Mutual SMART Goals

List 3–5 specific targets both parties agree to hit.

• Financial: (Target revenue, gross margin, or cost savings.)
• Market: (Target market share or new customer acquisition count.)
• Operational: (On-time delivery rates or inventory turnover.)

3. Strategic Growth Levers

How will you actually hit those numbers?

• Marketing/Promotion: Shared ad spend, co-branded events, or seasonal campaigns.
• Product/Service Expansion: New product launches or service bundles.
• Operational Improvements: Tech integrations (EDI, shared CRM) or logistics shifts.

4. Resource Allocation & RACI

Clear accountability is where most JBPs fail. Use a RACI matrix:

• Responsible: Who does the work?
• Accountable: Who ensures it gets done?
• Consulted: Who provides input?
• Informed: Who gets updates?

5. Financial Investment

• Partner A Contribution: (Cash, personnel hours, inventory.)
• Partner B Contribution: (Marketing placement, floor space, data access.)

6. Governance & Review Cadence

How will you keep the plan alive?

• Monthly Tactical Check-ins: Review KPIs and adjust course.
• Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs): High-level strategy and budget adjustments.

Phase 3: Immediate Action Steps

To get this started today, follow these three steps:

1. Draft the "Strawman": Don’t go to the meeting with a blank page. Fill out a rough draft of the goals you think the partner wants.
2. Request a "Work Session": Avoid a formal presentation. Ask for a 90-minute workshop to "co-create" the JBP.
3. Build a Scorecard: Create a simple shared dashboard (Google Sheets or Excel) that tracks your 3–5 SMART goals in real-time.

How to customize this for your needs:

To provide more specific guidance, I’d need to know a bit more about your situation:

• What is the nature of the partnership? (e.g., Manufacturer/Retailer, SaaS/Implementation Partner, etc.)
• What is the primary "pain point" you are trying to solve? (e.g., falling sales, messy communication, or launching a new product?)
• What is the duration of this plan? (e.g., 6 months vs. 3 years?)