Is Your Software Vendor a True Partner? Take the 10-Minute Partnership Prenup Assessment
Stop Hoping. Start Knowing. Get Your Free Vendor Partnership Fitness Score.
You've seen the demo. You've heard the promises. The features look great on paper. But there's a nagging question you can't shake:
Will this vendor actually be a good partner after we sign the contract?
It's the question that keeps association executives up at night—because you've heard the horror stories. The vendor who was responsive during sales but disappeared after implementation. The pricing that mysteriously increased by 40% at renewal. The "included" features that turned out to be expensive add-ons. The support tickets that went unanswered for weeks.
Here's what 20+ years and 200+ software implementations have taught us:
The warning signs are almost always visible during the sales process—if you know where to look.
Answer a few questions about your software provider in question. Get your score instantly, plus a detailed interpretation email within 24 hours with specific recommendations for your situation.
👉 Scroll down to begin the assessment
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PARTNER PRENUP ASSESSMENT
Q: Why Should We Trust The Partnership Prenup Assessment?
A: Developed by SmartThoughts over 20+ years and 200+ successful association software projects, this assessment is fundamentally different from vendor-created evaluation tools. Unlike checklists designed to make vendors look good, the Partnership Prenup Assessment evaluates behavioral patterns that predict post-sale partnership quality—the factors that actually determine whether your implementation succeeds or fails.
What makes this different?
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Independent Analysis — Zero vendor commissions mean unbiased evaluation
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Behavioral Focus — Evaluates partnership signals, not just feature claims
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7-Stage Framework — Covers the entire sales process from first contact to objection handling
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35 Behavioral Questions — Specific, actionable indicators based on real implementation patterns
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Instant Personalized Score — Receive your Partnership Fitness Score with a stage-by-stage breakdown
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Proven Methodology — Based on patterns from 200+ association software projects since 2002
Q: What Will We Gain from the Partnership Prenup Assessment?
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Your Partnership Fitness Score (1.0-5.0): Know exactly where your vendor stands
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Clear Classification: Excellent Fit, Strong Potential, Acceptable with Risk Management, High Risk, or Critical Red Flags
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Stage-by-Stage Breakdown: See exactly which areas show green lights vs. warning signs
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Specific Action Steps: What to negotiate, monitor, or address in your contract
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Red Flag Identification: Critical issues that predict post-sale problems.
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Contract Negotiation Insights: What protections to build into your agreement
Q: How Long Does the Assessment Take?
A: 8-12 minutes. You'll answer 35 behavioral questions across 7 stages of the vendor sales process. Your personalized Partnership Fitness Score and detailed breakdown are delivered instantly upon completion.
Q: What Are the 7 Stages Evaluated?
A: The Partnership Prenup Assessment evaluates vendor behavior across the complete sales journey:
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Initial Outreach & Discovery: Did they research you or deliver a canned pitch?
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Needs Assessment & Demo Quality: Was the demo customized to your workflows?
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Proposal & Pricing Discussion: Was pricing transparent or full of hidden costs?
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Contract Negotiation: Were they flexible on reasonable terms or rigid?
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References & Stakeholder Engagement: Did references seem coached or authentic?
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Sales Rep Behavior: Was the rep genuine or following a manipulation script?
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Handling Objections & Pushback: Did they solve problems or try to "win" arguments?
Q: Will We Still Need a Full Vendor Assessment After the Results?
A: Every association is unique, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. The Partnership Prenup Assessment serves as a critical behavioral checkpoint—it tells you whether the vendor is showing partnership-oriented behavior or manipulation patterns. For many associations, this assessment confirms what you're sensing intuitively and gives you the data to act on it.
For complex, high-stakes implementations, we recommend combining this assessment with a comprehensive requirements analysis and contract review. But this assessment often surfaces concerns that save organizations from costly mistakes—before it's too late.
Q: How Does This Work?
A: Step 1: Answer 35 Behavioral Questions — Rate your vendor's behavior across 7 stages
Step 2: Get Your Instant Score — Receive your Partnership Fitness Score immediately
Step 3: Take Action with Confidence — Use your results to negotiate, protect, or walk away
Armed with objective data and expert-backed analysis, you can:
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Present findings to leadership and your board with confidence
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Negotiate contract terms that address specific concerns
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Avoid partnerships that show dealbreaker patterns
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Identify which areas require ongoing monitoring post-sale
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Build appropriate SLAs and protections into your agreement
Q: Why Is This Assessment Free?
A: In a nutshell, we genuinely care. Over 20 + years, we've watched too many associations sign contracts with vendors who showed clear warning signs during sales—only to struggle through painful implementations and contentious renewals.
The behavioral patterns that predict partnership quality are visible during the sales process—but most organizations don't know what to look for. We created this assessment to help associations cut through the polished demos and rehearsed pitches to see what's really happening.
We believe every association deserves access to this insight, regardless of budget. If you find value in this assessment and want deeper guidance, we're here to help. But the assessment itself? That's our contribution to helping associations make smarter decisions.
Q: What types of technology projects does this apply to?
A: This assessment is designed for association technology software providers primarily working within the Association technology market. However, it can be used for other projects involved in the association sector, such as website redesign/development, learning management systems (LMS), event management platforms, member community platforms, CRM selection, technology strategy development, and other software selection projects.
Don't Sign Until You Know
Your next software contract could be a 3-5 year commitment and a six-figure investment. The vendor's behavior during the sales process is your best predictor of what life will be like after you sign.
Take 10 minutes to evaluate what you're seeing. Your future self—and your board—will thank you.