The Plumber’s Playbook on Strategic Partnerships

Strategic partnerships are big jumbles of conflicting opinions and expectations.

When we’re at a loss for direction, we all would like to stop the clock a moment and spend our time on the strategy.

But who has that time?! And how long does it take you to realize again that strategy emerges from doing stuff? Improvise a little, take some pragmatic steps and you get to next base.

So, the thing here is not about hiring the right consultant to analyse your partnership. It’s about unjumbling the mind to get going again.

Taken from the trenches of designing strategic partnerships, teaching and advisory, I’ve collected some brass tacks perspectives on mindset for the strategic partnership profession.

Unlike a management book, the idea for this book is to get your partnership moving as fast as you think.

Let’s unclog the pipes to your brain with some snappy, relatable partnership advice.

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Table of Contents

1.Clearing up misconceptions

Too small to compete
We’re all partners here…
Why won’t they like us back?
Win-win is not a reason
– Customers will see our thing is hokey
– Can’t keep up with competition
– Unequiped to do the stuff we need to do
– Our only bet is to spend more on marketing
Their goals should be our goals

2.Sculpting the deal

Synergy is just the start
Meeting mud
What does legal think about this?
What were we trying to achieve here again?
Celebrate what you create together, not the handshake
Start them well, drop them fast
I thought we were partners!
Lets not tell them everything

3. Growth

A single partnership won’t solve it all
The repeatable deal template
Solidifying the unity