Definition
A referral partner is a company or person that introduces potential customers to a vendor in exchange for a fee or commission. The referral partner does not usually resell the product, handle billing or provide support. The vendor's own team runs the sale after the introduction.
Referral programs are often the easiest way for a partner to start working with a vendor. They need little training and no ordering setup.
Consultants, advisors and firms that sell related services are common referral partners. The terms, such as fee amount and how long a referral stays valid, differ by program.
In practice
A compliance consulting firm introduces a client that needs security awareness training, and the vendor pays the firm a referral fee when the deal closes.