The referral process is designed to be low-friction for you and low-pressure for your client. You make the introduction. Pulse handles the sales and onboarding process. You receive a 20% fee on year-one contract value when the client signs.
Step 1: Identify the client and make the introduction
The referral starts with you recognizing that a client is sitting with the alignment gap — the sense that the team is not executing on the strategy the way leadership intended, or that comprehension and belief have not fully landed. When you see that pattern, you introduce Pulse.
The introduction does not need to be formal. The most effective version is a direct statement: "I have found something that measures the specific gap we have been working on. It is not another engagement survey. It measures whether the team actually understands and believes in the strategy." If the client is interested, you connect them with the Pulse team.
To formalize the referral and make sure you receive credit for it, you register the client with Pulse before or immediately after making the introduction. We will give you a simple form or a direct contact — either works.
Step 2: Pulse handles the client conversation
Once you make the introduction, the client connects directly with a Pulse team member. That conversation is structured around the client's specific organizational context — their strategic situation, their team size, and what they are trying to measure. It is not a generic product demo.
You do not need to be in that conversation, and there is no expectation that you manage any part of it. Some referral partners prefer to be present in the first meeting because the alignment data feeds directly into the advisory work they are already doing with the client. That is a legitimate choice. Others make the introduction and step back entirely. Either approach is welcome.
Step 3: Client signs and onboards
If the client decides to move forward, they sign an annual agreement with Pulse directly. Implementation takes one working session. The client is live with their first check-in within a week or two of signing.
Your role in the onboarding process is whatever you want it to be. Some partners stay involved because the alignment data informs their ongoing advisory work. Others complete the referral at the point of signature and move on. The client's relationship with Pulse and their relationship with you are separate and do not create confusion about who is doing what.
Step 4: Fee paid after account activation
Referral fees are 20% of year-one contract value. They are paid after the client's account is active and the initial payment is confirmed. For a Foundation-tier nonprofit at $5,000, that is a $1,000 fee. For a Systems-tier school or network at $15,000, that is a $3,000 fee.
You will receive payment documentation and a clear accounting of the fee amount. Payment timing is typically within 30 days of client activation.
Ready to make your first referral?
Talk with the Pulse team before you make the introduction. We will confirm the client is a good fit, walk you through the registration process, and answer any questions about the fee structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register a referral to make sure I get credit?
Contact the Pulse team directly — either before the introduction or immediately after. We will register the referral under your name so that if the client signs, the fee is attributed to you. We do not operate a self-service referral portal — everything is handled through a direct relationship with the partnerships team.
What if the client takes a few months to decide?
The referral attribution is not time-limited in a way that creates friction. If a client you introduced signs six months after the initial conversation, you still receive the fee. The key is that the referral was registered with us before or when the introduction was made.
What if the client was already in conversations with Pulse when I referred them?
If a client was already in active conversations with Pulse when you made the introduction, the referral fee does not apply to that specific client. Contact the Pulse team before making the introduction if you are unsure — we will tell you whether the client is already in the pipeline.