How Not to Run Brand Partnerships: 4 Mistakes That Kill Growth Before It Starts

Brand partnerships have enormous potential. When executed well, they drive genuine growth without eroding margins, reduce customer acquisition costs and create win-win scenarios that benefit everyone involved. Yet many partnership initiatives fall short of expectations. Not because the strategy is flawed, but because execution challenges prevent campaigns from reaching their potential. Understanding these common pitfalls can help e-commerce leaders make better decisions when evaluating partnership opportunities.

This article explores four execution mistakes that can derail partnership campaigns and what successful implementations look like when these challenges are addressed properly.

Mistake 1: Limited Visibility Into Campaign Performance

One of the biggest frustrations for e-commerce leaders is working with partnership platforms that operate without full transparency. When campaign data is siloed, performance metrics are unclear, or strategic decisions happen without client input, it becomes impossible to optimise effectively or demonstrate ROI to stakeholders.

Brands need complete visibility to make informed decisions. They need access to real-time performance data to spot opportunities quickly. Most importantly, they need to understand how campaigns work so they can contribute strategic insights that improve results.

The most successful partnership campaigns achieve transparency from the start. For example, Carers Card UK, which achieved 12 million ad views and a 5% conversion rate. This success was built on open communication, shared objectives, and complete visibility into campaign performance throughout the process.

What good looks like

The best partnership platforms provide real-time dashboards, transparent reporting and collaborative strategic planning. When brands can see exactly how campaigns perform and contribute to optimisation decisions, results improve dramatically.

Mistake 2: Insufficient Communication and Support

Partnership marketing works best when it’s treated as an ongoing collaboration rather than a one-time setup. Unfortunately, many platforms take a hands-off approach after launch, providing minimal support and infrequent communication.

This creates missed opportunities. Without regular performance discussions, optimisation happens slowly or not at all.

Parcel2Go exemplifies the difference proper communication makes. Through continuous collaboration and regular optimisation discussions, they ran three targeted split tests that resulted in a 29.23% increase in average order value. This level of improvement only happens when both sides are actively engaged throughout the process.

What good looks like

The most effective partnerships involve regular check-ins, proactive optimisation suggestions and responsive support. When communication flows freely in both directions, campaigns evolve quickly and deliver better results.

Mistake 3: Technical Complexity and Implementation Barriers

Nothing kills momentum like technical barriers. When simple campaign adjustments require development resources, lengthy approval processes, or complex technical implementations, brands lose the ability to respond quickly to market opportunities.

Speed matters in partnership marketing. Consumer behaviour shifts rapidly, seasonal opportunities have narrow windows and competitive responses require quick pivots. Platforms that create technical bottlenecks limit a brand’s ability to capitalise on these dynamics.

Shark Germany demonstrates what’s possible when technical barriers are removed. Using a streamlined system that allowed seamless integration through a one-click setup, they achieved a 38.75% uplift in basket completion within the first month. The key was eliminating friction that typically slows down campaign optimisation.

What good looks like

The best partnership platforms prioritise ease of use and rapid implementation. When brands can make changes quickly based on performance data, they maintain competitive advantage and maximise opportunities.

Mistake 4: Limited Analytics and Optimisation Capabilities

Data-driven optimisation separates successful partnership campaigns from mediocre ones. Yet many platforms provide limited analytics, focusing on vanity metrics rather than business impact, or offering basic reporting that doesn’t enable sophisticated optimisation.

Brands need actionable insights, not just data. They need to understand customer behaviour throughout the entire journey, not just at the partnership touchpoint. Most importantly, they need analytics sophisticated enough to support scientific testing and optimisation.

Secret Sales illustrates the power of robust analytics. Through data-led, A/B tested approaches, they achieved a 66% increase in basket completion. This level of improvement requires sophisticated measurement capabilities and advanced optimisation tools.

The most advanced approaches combine platform analytics with complementary solutions. For instance, integrating partnership data with advanced platforms like Contentsquare provides complete visibility into customer behaviour, enabling optimisation decisions based on comprehensive insights rather than partial data.

What good looks like

Effective partnership platforms provide sophisticated analytics, support scientific testing methodologies and integrate seamlessly with existing marketing technology stacks. When optimisation becomes science-led rather than guesswork, results improve substantially.

Making Brand Partnerships Work

The difference between partnership success and disappointment often comes down to execution details. Transparency, communication, technical flexibility and robust analytics are fundamental requirements for achieving significant results.

The brands seeing genuine success through partnerships understand this. Ninja Kitchen achieved a 58.62% uplift in basket completion by working with Tyviso to address these execution challenges from the start.

For e-commerce leaders evaluating partnership opportunities, these execution factors matter as much as strategic alignment. The right platform approach can transform partnerships from experimental initiatives into core growth drivers that complement paid acquisition and organic channels.

Choose your partnerships accordingly. Your growth trajectory depends on getting these fundamentals right.

Ready to experience partnership marketing that actually drives growth? Book a demo with Tyviso to explore how we’re helping brands like yours achieve significant results.