Momentum Episode 35:
How Jotform’s Partner & Affiliate Programs Help You Grow

What happens when one of the world's most popular online form builders makes partnerships a core part of its growth strategy? In this episode, Jotform's head of channel strategy, Erman Ergün, joins us to share how Jotform's partner programs help affiliates, agencies, consultants, and marketers unlock new revenue while adding more value for clients. If you're curious about growing your own business alongside a trusted SaaS leader, this conversation is for you. Welcome to Momentum, a podcast by Jotform, where we talk about the technology, productivity tips, insights, and best practices that help us move forward in business and in life. Let's get started.

All right, I want to welcome Erman to the show. It's so good to have you on the show. I feel like we talk a lot, but we don't get to talk in this kind of forum.

That's correct. So, it's really cool to have you over from Turkey and here to talk a little bit about Jotform's Agency program generally.

Yeah, perfect. It's an awesome opportunity for me to be here, spend some time with you guys. We go way back, both old Jotformers, both of us, so we've seen our fair share. So it's great to be able to talk about our new programs, the Agency Program to begin with, but also all of our other partnership programs. I want to let every listener know that it's easy to sign up and start making some additional money with Jotform partner.

How long have you been with Jotform now?

Oh, probably really far back. Seven years. I started August 2018, shortly before you. Weirdly, I guess the gray hair gives that away. But we'll jump into it.

Do you want to give a quick introduction to the partnership program and how it fits into the bigger picture of Jotform and the company?

It actually started with the affiliate program. I don't remember when, three or four years ago. We were receiving a tremendous amount of support tickets and requests. People were sending emails asking if we have an affiliate program or any partnership programs. We used to have integration partnerships with great names, huge names, but other partnerships weren't in the picture.

So we started with affiliate because there was huge demand. We started slow, tried it with a couple of affiliates. Those affiliates would be websites that create blog posts or videos and include a unique tracking link back to Jotform, especially to their niche, like social media or healthcare audiences with good authority. They test out Jotform to see if it solves a pain point among their audience, write a blog post about it, insert the unique tracking link, and if people like the product and become paid users, they get a 30% commission.

We saw great success with the affiliate program and it has grown huge. Then we came up with the reseller program on the enterprise side. People can purchase Jotform Enterprise from us with a discount, white label it, and then sell seats or the entire thing to their clients depending on their needs. It's all about the client's needs and the audience's needs. Partners are conduits for us with connections to these audiences either via authority or personal connections with clients, which is amazing because while someone can discover Jotform by themselves, if it comes from a trusted source and someone helps throughout the process, they are more likely to adapt to the product and become paid users.

After the reseller program, our most recent one is the Agency program, which includes partners who can refer bronze, silver, gold, self-service plans and also enterprise. There's huge potential in the Agency program. They don't have to do much, just refer clients to us. We expect a little warm intro for enterprise leads so the sales process can start, but for bronze, silver, gold, the concept is the same as affiliate. They use custom links or send referrals manually, which is very easy for them to make money. We also provide them with as many resources as possible to better understand the product because we treat them as our own salespeople, giving them the same training as internal salespeople so they can figure out the best deals. It's a mutual two-way street and we put partners first to make sure they understand the product and process really well.

Can you talk a little bit about what that side of things looks like, the resources given to partners?

We created, thanks to our marketing and growth teams, content pieces like cheat sheets, presentations, one-pagers, and anything you can think of to help partners imagine themselves as salespeople trying to sell Jotform or find the right candidates. We provide resources so they can do their homework, identify the right clients, and educate them with the correct ICPs. After I tell you about the ICP, I'll tell you more about Jotform. You go back to your client list or audience and see if there's a fit, which most of the time there is because Jotform is used by everybody.

We offer Jotform Academy, a dedicated account manager for help at every step, orientation calls, ongoing support, and everything we provide to our own sales team to help partners see success.

Between the different programs, can you kind of go over the differences between affiliate, partnership, and Agency?

Sure. Affiliates are for bronze, silver, gold plans and work on affiliate logic. They get a unique tracking link to distribute via blog posts, emails, or messages. If a user becomes a paid Jotform user, they get a 30% commission. Affiliates usually don't have personal contact with clients but have websites with high traffic and cast a wide net. They make sure their content shows how Jotform solves a specific pain point for their audience.

Agencies, consultants, and agency establishments have a portfolio of clients and personal relationships with them. The Agency program offers lifetime commissions as long as clients stay with Jotform, whether enterprise or bronze, silver, gold plans. They can also upsell and increase commission rates. This program requires a more hands-on, one-to-one connection.

The reseller program is enterprise only. Partners purchase Jotform Enterprise with a discount, can white label it, and resell it at their own price point. This is the biggest way to make money because they decide their profit margin.

People can be part of both Agency and reseller programs but not both affiliate and Agency. The programs are explained in detail during orientation calls, where client lists and business models are reviewed to find the best fit.

Some people move from affiliate to Agency if they have clients they bring on repeatedly. We've talked to successful Agency partners who have brought multiple enterprise users under one person, which is amazing.

If I'm running a consultancy or agency, what are some top reasons to consider using Jotform?

Great question. First, no barriers to entry. As long as your business matches our ideology and goals, which are industry agnostic, we serve everyone globally. Most of the time, the use case is there. We ask questions about your client base to decide which paid plan fits best. Single users might prefer bronze, silver, gold plans, while multi-user, white labeling, and local data residency needs point to enterprise.

We assess client needs and see if Jotform fits their digital toolkit. If yes, partners can sign up, get to know the product, build a personal relationship with us, and earn 30% commissions, which is industry high. They can provide an additional great tool to their clients.

Can you think of any success stories of partners?

Yes, many. People can read case studies on our blog. One partner, Visiony, a Salesforce partner, had tremendous success with the reseller program. Another, Hunter Donia, a digital consultant for beauty salons, runs courses recommending Jotform for appointments and intake forms, leading many to paid plans. These are great examples, but there are many more who bundle Jotform with other SaaS tools and recommend it successfully.

Jotform is a great additional resource for any consultancy or agency, even if they don't have clients actively looking for it now. Some partners wish they had known about the program earlier because they had sent many clients before. So sign up as soon as possible. It's a win-win situation.

I know from personal experience that users often discover new Jotform features over time, which makes resources like Jotform Academy very valuable.

What makes Jotform's partner program different from other SaaS partners?

Good question. Some programs are transactional, just paying for leads or clients. We want to build an ecosystem with back-and-forth communication. We learn from partners' new clients and understand their needs. We teach partners more about Jotform, and they often say, "I didn't know I could do this with Jotform." This approach helps partners provide more value to their clients and makes clients happy. Money follows naturally as partners understand the product and their clients well.

We offer co-branded marketing materials, list partners on our partner page, and do webinars with promising partners. This back-and-forth approach differentiates us from other programs.

Beyond product access, how does Jotform support its partners?

We have a talented developer team that created a Jotform-specific partner dashboard filled with templates, marketing materials, cheat sheets, videos, referral submission, earnings tracking, and access to account managers. Partners can find everything they need in one place.

We want partners to tell us about their use cases so we can tailor the partnership experience. The more we know about them and their clients, the smoother the process and faster they see revenue. Dedicated account managers are a key resource, which is rare in many partner programs.

Many users don't know everything Jotform can do right away. Resources like Academy help them discover new features and use cases.

Even after seven years, I still learn new things about Jotform. We have an extensive support ticket archive that answers most questions, and account managers are always available.

One user tested 1,200 different conditions on a form without breaking it, showing how robust Jotform is.

Are there unique benefits for agencies serving highly regulated industries like healthcare or education?

Yes, Jotform offers HIPAA-compliant forms and solutions, and has developed accessibility features and SOC 2 compliance for education. Thousands of clients, including large institutions and governments, use Jotform for sensitive data collection.

We have many partners in sensitive data areas like education, government, healthcare, nonprofits, and business services. But Jotform is used globally across many industries, including churches, summer camps, nail salons, and tattoo shops.

Partners should do a quick Google or GPT search to see if Jotform fits their clients' needs and then apply for the program for a detailed onboarding.

This is a plug for the Agency partner program and Jotform users who see value in the product. It's a cool program to get in on early because you never know what the future holds.

Besides money, partners get a dedicated person inside the Jotform team and access to training programs. We're excited about future developments and putting partners first.

Partners have instant access to Jotform Academy, which I always suggest new partners complete to discover use cases they might have missed.

Many users think they know Jotform well but find new features in Academy.

What kinds of affiliates tend to perform best with Jotform?

Hardworking partners who do research, learn the product well, set up calls with account managers, and understand their client base perform best. They figure out how to integrate Jotform into their services, blog posts, or videos.

Not everyone is a perfect fit, so partners should do research to avoid wasting time. Those who understand Jotform's ICPs and client pain points and work with account managers to translate those into Jotform features succeed.

Jotform's drag-and-drop interface is easy to use and integrates with over 100 other SaaS tools, making it a smooth fit for many industries.

The top industries using Jotform include education, government, healthcare, and nonprofits, but any industry can be a potential use case.

Can you go over the commission structure and earning potential?

We set a high bar with a 30% commission across all programs starting this year, the highest in the industry. We want partners to see the monetary incentive even though many prioritize giving clients a good tool.

Many partners are surprised by the 30% commission because other programs offer 10-20% with restrictions. Our Agency and reseller programs offer 30% commission or discount for the lifetime of the client as long as they renew subscriptions.

This includes enterprise plans, which have a much higher price point, so the additional revenue can be considerable.

Can you talk more about the one-on-one support?

After application approval, partners get connected to a dedicated account manager and receive a welcome email. We encourage setting up a call quickly. Multiple people manage this, which benefits both parties by understanding each other well.

Partners learn which audiences to target and how to sell or refer Jotform effectively. They have an email for quick support and our support team responds fast.

We encourage partners to book regular meetings, perhaps quarterly, to review progress and improve their approach.

Are there specific requirements to join the different programs?

No monetary requirements; it's completely free. The difference is in the business model. Those without one-on-one client relationships but with large audiences should choose affiliate. Those with client portfolios and ongoing meetings should choose Agency or reseller.

We review applications carefully and may suggest applying later if a partner needs more time to get the most out of the program. Otherwise, no limitations or restrictions.

What trends are you seeing in SaaS partnerships and marketing that Jotform is adapting to?

We used to be more transactional with affiliates, but now the trend is to put partners first, understand their goals, and keep them happy with timely responses, payments, and support. Happy partners mean more sales.

We aim to teach partners and help them get the most out of the program rather than just waiting for them to do hard work.

What challenges do partners face and how does Jotform help?

Partners might face problems they can't solve, but our dedicated account managers understand and address these challenges quickly. We help with product and program issues.

Partners have an advantage because they have direct connections to us and support is fast and effective.

How do Jotform's integrations with other platforms help partners?

Agency partners often provide multiple solutions, not just one. Big CRM partners like HubSpot and Salesforce lack advanced form building, so Jotform integrates with them, offering complementary tools. This makes it easy for partners to bundle and sell Jotform alongside other platforms like monday.com.

Do partners collaborate within the program?

Not publicly yet; we don't have a forum but sometimes successful partners collaborate manually. As the ecosystem grows, we plan to create a space for partners to learn from each other and possibly create educational content.

How does the partner program work for people outside the US?

Jotform is global with 35 million users worldwide, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. This is a great opportunity for partners in these regions to grow, especially by providing services in their own languages, which clients appreciate.

Is there a particular area you hope to grow more?

Germany and Brazil are doing great. We also want growth in Europe, Asia, Japan, and South America. We're open to applications from anywhere.

How do you see the partner program evolving over the next few years?

We hope to keep the 30% commission structure as long as possible. Early adopters will enjoy this sweet commission. The programs are growing rapidly, with thousands of affiliates and hundreds of Agency partners joining recently.

We want to maintain a manageable partner-to-support ratio to provide good service. The growth is incredible and people see the value in Jotform.

Are there other programs you want to introduce?

We have an integration partnership program for companies wanting to integrate their tools with Jotform. There is huge potential there. Strategic alliances are also possible. I'm open to ideas and calls to discuss needs.

We have many integration partners and a backlog of requests. If it provides value to users, we'll move forward. For now, our current programs provide good coverage.

Where do you see partners' roles in Jotform's long-term growth?

Partners grow with Jotform in a two-way street. They act as salespeople or brand ambassadors. Having a Jotform partner badge on your website is valuable. Jotform is a strong brand with over 35 million users and nearly 30 years of history.

Partners are generally happy with the product and learn more over time, leading to great success for both parties.

If anyone is interested in the affiliate program, where should they go?

They can visit jotform.com/partnership to learn about different programs and apply. They can also email me at erman@jotform.com for guidance on the best fit. The application process is straightforward and someone will respond within one or two business days.

It's a lucrative way to grow your brand and help grow Jotform's brand.

This is a plug for the partnership program and Jotform users who see value in the product. It's a great program to get in on early because you never know what the future holds.

Thank you so much for coming on the show, Erman. It's always a pleasure to chat with you. It feels like it's been a minute since you were with Elliot at one point, right?

Thank you. I hope it was enjoyable for listeners and they learned something. I'm happy to see new partners in our program and you are doing an amazing job with the podcast. Keep it going, Patrick.

Thank you again for having me. I'm looking forward to maybe another episode in five years or hopefully sooner.