19: Leaderboards, Explained: How to Gamify Your Next Partner Launch
Every launch has one moment where energy either builds or fizzles: the middle stretch, once the initial excitement wears off and partners need a reason to keep pushing. In this episode, Marie and Anne-Marie pull back the curtain on one of their favorite tools for keeping that energy alive — the leaderboard. It's simple to set up, it taps straight into people's competitive instincts, and when it's used well, it can turn a good launch into a great one.
Marie walks through the mechanics: how affiliate tracking (whether that's GHL, ThriveCart, Kajabi, or a simple tracked link) feeds a spreadsheet of partners, their promo dates, and the metrics that matter — clicks when the cart opens, purchases, sometimes webinar views. Anne-Marie adds the piece most people forget: the incentive. Most leaderboards run on cash prizes, and that detail changes everything about how hard partners push to stay ranked. The conversation also covers a use for leaderboards that goes beyond the launch itself — as a prospecting tool for spotting new, adjacent partners — and closes with a reminder that leaderboards take real planning and shouldn't be a last-minute addition to any promotion.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
How to build a leaderboard from your existing affiliate tracking setup, no matter which platform you use
Which metrics to track and when — clicks, purchases, and webinar views all serve different points in a launch
Why cash incentives are the norm, and how leaderboard rank influences a partner's promo calendar
How to use a leaderboard email as a prospecting tool for finding new partnership connections
Why leaderboards require dedicated planning time, ideally with a VA, rather than a last-minute add-on
The importance of giving partners visibility into their own real-time performance data
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
What a leaderboard actually is, and why it's a launch tool rather than an evergreen one — Marie lays out the basic mechanics.
Building the leaderboard spreadsheet: mapping out partners, promo dates, and choosing which numbers to track as the launch unfolds.
The real incentive behind the rankings — Anne-Marie explains why cash prizes are the norm and how they shape a partner's promotion schedule.
Leaderboards as a prospecting tool: using unfamiliar names on a leaderboard to spot new, adjacent partnership opportunities.
“It's a powerful tool, it's a fun tool, and it does take planning.” - Marie
LINKS MENTIONED
The Referral Ripple Effect: How Partnerships Drive Pre-Vetted Clients & Growth
How Long Do Partnerships Take? The Real Timeline for Launch Success
Affiliate tracking platforms mentioned: GHL, ThriveCart, Kajabi
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