How do you know when an alliance needs to be monitored and tracked?
More often than not, an alliance needs to be monitored and tracked. If you ignore your alliance partner at all, you will be losing ground and your business relationship will not be what you expect. If you ignore anyone, they tend to forget about you, or at least they will not take you seriously and will find other people to pass the time with. The same is true for an alliance partnership. You should remember to treat them just like a customer and always keep in touch. Any business relationship depends on how much you keep in touch and how much information you give them to keep the project alive.
This does not mean that you have to commit to a great volume of communications but you do have to commit to a regular communication strategy that is a two-way commitment. You must also know what is happening with the alliance partner and how you can help to increase the amount of business they do on your behalf. The two-way street approach should be part of any alliance or partnership agreement you put in place. If you do not make any communication commitment, then the dialog or information will be sporadic and it will not provide you with a consistent update on the latest and greatest information. It is only with information that you will be able to take full advantage of the alliance.
When you spend time monitoring and tracking an alliance, you will be fully prepared to step-in with help when needed. You will also be advised well in advance of any potential problems. Problems with an alliance can be many, but through clear and consistent communication, these can be held to a minimum and perhaps even solved before they become too large and threaten the relationship.
Where Alliances Are a Problem
How do you determine potential problems with an alliance?
Alliances and partnerships will always have problems. Nothing ever goes as smoothly as it should. In other words, nothing is easy, it must be nurtured and any possible problem dealt with before it ruins the relationship. So what can go wrong with an alliance? First, the alliance partner may not have enough focus on doing well with your product or service. They may want to sell more of another company's products before they deal with yours. This can be solved by keeping them informed and educated about what they get out of the alliance with you. Second, an alliance partner may not gain enough sales to retain the partnership. You have a choice as to whether they should be dropped and replaced or to work with them to increase the sales.
If you think about it, it is less costly to place a current alliance into a training and supporting position than to try and find a new alliance partner. Lastly, an alliance may have changes in personnel, and the new faces may not believe in your product line (they may want to sell a competitor's line as their favorite). In this case, the business relationship will need to be rescued through additional communication efforts.
Any number of other problems may arise with an alliance but the three mentioned are the most common to the partnerships I have created with my company. I often do surveys of my channel partners to judge any lapses of interest. I also look at the number of product returns from any partner. This is usually an indication of product substitution with another line and also an indicator of a change in focus. You will need to determine your own minimum standards for an alliance and draw that line in the sand for a starting point.
Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.blueprintbooks.com
Brownsville wedding limousine .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareOpening a carpet cleaning business is a great way to... Read More
Cleaning the trailers towed by big trucks is not easy,... Read More
In your small business debt collection laws will eventually become... Read More
Send handwritten notes. That applies whether you're a guy or... Read More
You want to know more about making money with your... Read More
In this paper, I will:1. provide a framework for creating... Read More
The choice to incorporate a small business in Florida has... Read More
If small business had no important outside audiences, it wouldn't... Read More
If you intend to franchise your company you will need... Read More
One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More
When should you leverage the relationship?Leveraging sometimes brings a negative... Read More
How many hours do you work a week? When was... Read More
Motivational author and speaker Jim Rohn says that for a... Read More
I only have to point to the 555 plus failed... Read More
At first blush this idea might be difficult to wrap... Read More
One of the major complaints in the QSR Quick Service-Fast... Read More
Since you own a business you probably have liability insurance... Read More
If you are looking for a way to own your... Read More
Owning a small business in Wichita, KS might not be... Read More
1. Resolve to build a consistent network system.Since referrals are... Read More
Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely... Read More
Seems as though there are a lot of business closings... Read More
You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But... Read More
Business consulting opportunities might be just what your are looking... Read More
Cash is King?That is what everyone tells us and it... Read More
Culver prom limousines ..What is a Virtual Assistant?A Virtual Assistant is a person... Read More
In the book Women and Small Business author gives all... Read More
As a company grows, the owner's role begins to change.... Read More
Franchising has made the world look really small. The well... Read More
We're birds of a feather, public relations and small business.... Read More
Owning a business is a challenging endeavor. If you're like... Read More
There were only an estimated 1800 active franchisors in this... Read More
Most business owners know when they need an accountant, but... Read More
If you don't know what a Virtual Assistant (or VA)... Read More
Whether your target audience is in your neighborhood or across... Read More
A cluttered world of marketing communications diminishes the ordinary. The... Read More
As a solo entrepreneur or small business owner, one of... Read More
I propose this thought on the subject of Franchisee territory... Read More
You may find this Newsletter a little long winded but... Read More
One of the biggest excuses franchisees of home based and... Read More
In many industries, image is one of the last things... Read More
In today's marketplace the words 'job security' have become an... Read More
Last year, trillions of dollars transferred hands on the internet... Read More
The Customer Analysis section of the business plan assesses the... Read More
Most small business owners are faced with so many responsibilities... Read More
You see it often in large shopping complexes. Customers seem... Read More
Microfiber cleaning towels have been around for about ten years... Read More
Many job applicants want a job but often do not... Read More
The Dynamics of Daylight Savings Time changes the way we... Read More
Frankly, given the legal and regulatory requirements involved in attempting... Read More
Small Business |