Category Archives: Channel

Alliance Performance Coaching: Which Coach Do You Choose?

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With the number of business alliances soaring, alliance performance coaching becomes even more essential.

An article from Forbes talks about why coaching is vital for any partnership. In this piece of literature, the author makes it clear that no matter the past relationships that you have had with your partner, it pays to hire a coach. As he puts it, “Whether or not you knew each other beforehand, launching a business will change your relationship.” Therefore, to thrive in any joint venture, you have to incorporate performance coaching services. However, how do you make certain that the coach you go for will be rewarding for your business?

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Power Partners, You Know You Need them, but Do You Really Have Time to Build Alliances Properly?

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It’s official. The public’s buying behavior has changed. Every major marketing firm on Madison Avenue now has an Internet Marketing division; and many experts believe online marketing is even more powerful than TV, Radio and Print marketing is for many products and services. Everyone from grandpa to toddlers is becoming more tech savvy; and consumers are making buying decisions based on social and environmental responsibility.

What do You Do?

Well, totally changing your business model is out of the question for a multitude of reasons. However, a new joint venture can quickly gain you access to new customers, more capital, more technological resources; and give you more credibility in the modern marketplace. Continue reading →

PC Tablet Manufacturer Enters United Arab Emirates via Strategic Alliance

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In a recent announcement Simmtronics, the world’s third leading PC tablet manufacturer, and Jumbo Electronics, the leading distributor and retailer of IT and consumer electronics in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have formed a strategic alliance to distribute PC tablets throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Simmtronics’ motivation for penning the deal is an effort to remain true to its commitment to expand in to as many new markets as possible.

According to Chris Ruggeri, M&A services leader at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services, the recent decline in M&A activity Continue reading →

Growing Your Business with Joint Ventures

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Whether you are starting out as an entrepreneur or have a successful business already, you know the importance of you clientele and growing your customer base. Sometimes it can be difficult to design and market new products and ideas on your own, especially if you are just starting out. One solution to this dilemma is Joint Ventures (JV). A joint venture is a business agreement between two parties with the intent to achieve a common goal.

Here are some great advantages Continue reading →

Channels Of Distribution, Growing Your Company

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Resellers are an important part of growing a business. Without partners, most businesses will simply start to stay in place without any real growth. In order to avoid this, it is important to open up the channels of distribution.

How To Pick Channels To Consider

Do not just pick any random reseller Continue reading →

The Advantages of Value Added Resellers (VAR)

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In the world of business there are many benefits to producing products as Value Added Resellers (VAR).  In the computer industry, a company that makes the hardware can increase the value of their product, if they offer a specific type of software as standard on the computers they make.  The computer maker and the software creator work together to provide a new and more valuable product.

The advantages to the partners involved as VAR are numerous.  Continue reading →

Should Your Next Business Partner Be Your Rival?

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Although many businesses focus on outperforming competitors by taking advantage of their competitive advantages, many would actually benefit by forming a strategic alliance and turning their competitor into their business partner. While it may not be the most conventional approach, businesses have figured out that in some situations it’s better to focus on growing the entire market, rather than fight for the largest market share of a small market.

A recent Harvard Business Review article discusses why this strategy has emerged Continue reading →

Goes Together Like Peas and Carrots

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There are many things that go together so well that many people think of them that way. Such as peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, salt and pepper, or spaghetti and meatballs. Value Added Resellers (VAR) can take your company to the next level by creating a partnership that fits together just like those famous pairs. By pairing your products with products from another company, you enter into a win/win situation. Both companies are able to increase sales by offering an improved product, as well as accessing a customer base from each company. Continue reading →

Assigning Responsibilities between Business Partners

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There are many factors that demand attention when considering a business partner, but one of the most consistent pressing concerns is the delegation of work and responsibility, or more simply, “who’s going to do what?” Another company may seem like a good candidate for a business partner in theory, but in reality, the delegation of work may make the business partnership undesirable.

Because of the internal strife that may result from Continue reading →

How Value Added Resellers (VAR) Make It Work

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Becoming a Value Added Reseller (VAR) is a lucrative way to add value and specialization to your product while saving yourself the development costs of manufacturing and developing the add-ons yourself. We’d like to offer you some tips in making this selling program work for you.

The most important thing is to establish yourself Continue reading →

Alliance Management Requires Performance Management

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The purpose of a business alliance is to bring two or more companies together to achieve defined strategic goals. The benefit is to reduce risk, increase rewards, and leverage resources. But how do you know if you’re successful? Alliance management requires you to assess performance. 

Over ten years ago, McKinsey & Company reviewed the financial and strategic outcomes of hundreds of business alliances. Their assessment was that the overall success rate was slightly higher than 50 percent. Who knew? Not the executives, according to the study.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to your business alliances Continue reading →

Business Alliances Provide Stability with Reduced Risk

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A business alliance is a tool used by businesses to stabilize a market so that each company benefits. There are several types of business alliances with each specialized to effect certain conditions for different scenarios. A business should consider the needs before entering an alliance so that the correct type can be addressed for the best and most beneficial results.

The types of alliances include: Continue reading →

Choosing the Best Alliance Management Professional Makes all the Difference in the World

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Sometimes it’s tough to go it alone, especially if you’re a small business owner. Because of today’s fast-paced and constantly changing business environment, it’s critical to move quickly to take advantage of opportunities.

Consequently, many business owners are seeking alliance management professionals to help them achieve their business objectives rather than building or buying something new. Continue reading →

Managing the Channels of distribution

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Many manufactures do not sell directly to the end user. Between the manufacture and the user is usually a channel of distribution. They are essential to the success in any type of business. If you run a service business you need the supplies used that create the business, in which case you are a channel for the manufacturer or distribution of the supplies.

For instance, an HVAC company needs their air conditioners, heat units and service parts so the technicians can perform their job. The business maintains open channels for these items. Let’s face it, how would you react if the repair person fixing your air conditioner failed to have the proper parts with him or even at his shop?

Continue reading →

Sales Strategies Heading into 2013

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Sometimes it’s difficult not to think of those who work in sales as anything more than the slick late night used car sales people from days gone by. However, much has changed over the last 30 years, especially when it comes to sales strategies.

Heading into 2013 it’s critical for your sales team to understand what factors Continue reading →

Entrepreneurs Leading With Ideas

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Many people think that being business entrepreneurs means you have a new exciting product to offer the world. That may be true in some cases but not in all. The dictionary defines an entrepreneur as a person who organizes and manages a business usually with considerable unique ideas, initiative and risk. Today’s entrepreneur thinks outside of the box. More and more business is becoming global. It is often the idea that is central to success. It is the idea about an old product that often launches a great business.

You do not have to invent a new mousetrap to become the king of pest control. If you have an idea on how to do it better, provide great service and make your customers happy then you are a potentially successful entrepreneur. You just have to take action. Continue reading →

Strategic Alliances: Creating and Maintaining

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Sustaining strategic alliances for success requires short-term planning and planning over the long-term. You need to determine how to best use your available resources to ensure you have the infrastructure in place. An article posted on the Financial Post talks about building and maintaining strategic alliances.

“As companies enter into an array of alliances, the potential for achieving benefits can increase dramatically.”

A portfolio of alliances Continue reading →

Alliance Performance Coaching: Better Process Makes Better Practice

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There’s an interesting video on YouTube featuring former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In it Schmidt explains the benefits of having a coach. He tells the story of his early years as CEO when a board member suggested that he find one. Though Schmidt felt there was nothing wrong – he was the CEO, after all – he took the board member’s advice and began to work with a coach. As Schmidt explains in the video, a coach helps give perspective to things we are unable to see ourselves.

The same is true with alliances.  Continue reading →

How Value Added Resellers (VAR) Can Help You Find More Hours in a Day

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As an Entrepreneur what is the one resource you wish you more of right now? I’d be willing to bet the answer is most likely time. If you’re running low on energy there’s always more coffee, right? But, if you find you just don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done what do you do? You can’t add more hours to the clock.

So how do you free up more of your time? Continue reading →