Comments on: The subtle dynamics of partnering with BigCo http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/ Small business marketing blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:06:52 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Adrian Ott http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-184163 Adrian Ott Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:10:58 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-184163 Thanks for the insightful post. For almost a decade, I managed partnerships with small companies for a Global 100 corporation. Big companies need the innovation that small companies provide. More and more large companies are integrators and distributors rather than inventors. However they provide reach and credibility that most small companies cannot achieve on their own. After experiencing firsthand what works and doesn't with BigCO and with many clients, I wrote an article, <strong> Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid in Partnering with Large Companies</strong><strong> http://www.exponentialedge.com/docs/Top10PartneringPitfalls2006.pdf I hope this is helpful. Adrian Ott, CEO Exponential Edge, Inc. www.exponentialedge.com</strong> Thanks for the insightful post. For almost a decade, I managed partnerships with small companies for a Global 100 corporation.

Big companies need the innovation that small companies provide. More and more large companies are integrators and distributors rather than inventors. However they provide reach and credibility that most small companies cannot achieve on their own.

After experiencing firsthand what works and doesn’t with BigCO and with many clients, I wrote an article, Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid in Partnering with Large Companies

http://www.exponentialedge.com/docs/Top10PartneringPitfalls2006.pdf

I hope this is helpful.

Adrian Ott, CEO Exponential Edge, Inc. http://www.exponentialedge.com

]]> By: John Jantsch http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-182657 John Jantsch Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:59:22 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-182657 Maile - few things are more attractive than knowing you have something of value to offer to the right partner. Maile – few things are more attractive than knowing you have something of value to offer to the right partner.

]]> By: Maile Kaulukukukui http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-182649 Maile Kaulukukukui Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:52:38 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-182649 Thanks for the post! As a marketing manager for a small division of a medium sized company (what a mouthful!), our organization has felt it difficult at times to move into new products when partnering with a larger company. I think at times because we as an organization feel the need to appease the beast, basically giving the larger company all the say because we are afraid to lose the relationship. Kudos on the advice! I've shared it with my colleagues! -Maile Thanks for the post! As a marketing manager for a small division of a medium sized company (what a mouthful!), our organization has felt it difficult at times to move into new products when partnering with a larger company. I think at times because we as an organization feel the need to appease the beast, basically giving the larger company all the say because we are afraid to lose the relationship.

Kudos on the advice! I’ve shared it with my colleagues!

-Maile

]]> By: John Jantsch http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-182555 John Jantsch Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:27:23 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-182555 John, Yes, imagine the look you would get if you asked some BigCo partners to sign an NDA before you could pitch them your idea. John,

Yes, imagine the look you would get if you asked some BigCo partners to sign an NDA before you could pitch them your idea.

]]> By: John Caddell http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-182552 John Caddell Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:25:22 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-182552 John, great post. One of the hardest thing to manage about a partnership with BigCo is resources. BigCo has infinite numbers of people, cumbersome processes, etc. It's second nature for them to expect their partner to have the same. Therefore, they will ask you to have lots of conference calls, prepare scads of documentation, etc. In short, they can bring a small business to its knees in a hurry. Being able to provide good service to BigCo without draining your resources is a key challenge. Regards, John John, great post. One of the hardest thing to manage about a partnership with BigCo is resources. BigCo has infinite numbers of people, cumbersome processes, etc. It’s second nature for them to expect their partner to have the same. Therefore, they will ask you to have lots of conference calls, prepare scads of documentation, etc.

In short, they can bring a small business to its knees in a hurry. Being able to provide good service to BigCo without draining your resources is a key challenge.

Regards, John

]]> By: John Jantsch http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-181958 John Jantsch Mon, 03 Dec 2007 01:12:51 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-181958 Hi Kara Always great to get some feedback from someone with your experience on the subject. I'm a big fan of AE as well. Hi Kara

Always great to get some feedback from someone with your experience on the subject. I’m a big fan of AE as well.

]]> By: Kare Anderson http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-181944 Kare Anderson Mon, 03 Dec 2007 01:03:11 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-181944 John You always have valuable posts yet this one really resonated as it is rarely discussed and even more rarely in this pithy and specific way. Years ago American Express partnered with the owners of some of the most picturesque and popular, locally-owned bar and grill restaurants in a co-op advertising program. In this case it was a win-win - and AE "won" more (as you indicated is often true. In a battle with VISA to gain loyalty of the restaurants and upscale card users, AE gained the reflected glow of the "personality" of the many colorful places and people who operated them. At the same time, no connection, publisher did a book on many of the same eatery/watering holes. Inadvertently, I and a friend, dining at the Fog City Diner bar, were featured in it. The local owners were treated very well by AE so they were appreciative. AE badly needed that good will so it was well worth it to them. Per your key points, AE made it very easy to partner with them: upfront clear, simple contract. (I had/have no connection to this partnership although I've crafter over 40, 8 between corporations and small business owners. - Kare, author, SmartPartnering John
You always have valuable posts yet this one really resonated as it is rarely discussed and even more rarely in this pithy and specific way.

Years ago American Express partnered with the owners of some of the most picturesque and popular, locally-owned bar and grill restaurants in a co-op advertising program. In this case it was a win-win – and AE “won” more (as you indicated is often true. In a battle with VISA to gain loyalty of the restaurants and upscale card users, AE gained the reflected glow of the “personality” of the many colorful places and people who operated them. At the same time, no connection, publisher did a book on many of the same eatery/watering holes. Inadvertently, I and a friend, dining at the Fog City Diner bar, were featured in it. The local owners were treated very well by AE so they were appreciative. AE badly needed that good will so it was well worth it to them.

Per your key points, AE made it very easy to partner with them: upfront clear, simple contract. (I had/have no connection to this partnership although I’ve crafter over 40, 8 between corporations and small business owners.
– Kare, author, SmartPartnering

]]> By: Simon Goodman - deviant marketing entrepreneur http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/comment-page-1/#comment-181677 Simon Goodman - deviant marketing entrepreneur Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:54:44 +0000 http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/12/02/the-subtle-dynamics-of-partnering-with-bigco/#comment-181677 this is really usable info and I LOVE this blog for that reason. Regarding this post, this assumes the bigco has the product and they want my list, but if I don't yet have a big list and do have a great product, how can I access the big company to use their list? p.s. thanks to Melvin above for his contact! this is really usable info and I LOVE this blog for that reason. Regarding this post, this assumes the bigco has the product and they want my list, but if I don’t yet have a big list and do have a great product, how can I access the big company to use their list?
p.s. thanks to Melvin above for his contact!

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