From chaos to collaboration: The rise of alliance ecosystems | Forbes

Dynamic networks of strategic partners are driving new solution innovation, co-creating value for clients, and developing joint revenue growth. As clients demand more integrated solutions from suppliers, embedding an effective alliance ecosystem can be a winning strategy.

Gone are the days when working with partners just meant entertaining them at an annual event and equipping them with a few emails and brochures to help them generate lead volume. It’s now far more complex—and potentially valuable.

My own company has witnessed a rapid shift in the expectations of our global buyers. They now demand much greater collaboration between their suppliers to help them reduce the complexity they’re wrestling with. As a result, we have seen how the ability to effectively co-create and innovate with alliance partners can help grow strategic clients in the short and long term. A business’s success may hinge on how effectively they work with partners to develop more holistic solutions to meet individual client needs. For those that are successful, the result is a win-win-win, creating increased value for both partners and clients.

The path to establishing a thriving alliance ecosystem is not without challenges. Divergent goals, misaligned resources, knowledge gaps, internal conflicts and cumbersome processes can all result in a poor customer experience, which can ultimately destroy the potential value of the partnership.

Marketing can play a pivotal role in helping an organization achieve alliance success. 

Based on the Partner Collaboration framework developed by my company, here are five steps to help you tap into the full potential of your partners and drive strategic client growth as you build your alliance ecosystem.

1. Prioritize the best partnerships. Prioritize the partnerships that best align with your strategic clients’ needs and your goals. 

2. Determine the best alignments. Take time to understand how you and your alliance partners’ account development processes align and where they differ. 

3. Define your shared value proposition. Work with your partners to define your shared, client-centric value proposition, and ensure your respective teams are equipped to articulate it to clients throughout the buying cycle. 

4. Agree on goals and reporting metrics upfront. This helps ensure that every party involved sees the potential value that can be generated. 

5. Harmonize internal teams. Agree on shared goals and KPIs across your key stakeholder groups and build a common understanding among all stakeholders of what you’re doing and why. 

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