Remarkable corporate partnerships require a different approach. Managing one or two large-scale, long-term partnerships takes planning, exceptional delivery, and growth to keep up momentum.
In this week’s blog, we share five recommendations to help shift your corporate partnerships from ordinary to remarkable.
- Map it out
Every partnership needs a plan. You are ready for the launch, everyone is elated and excited… now it is time to make it happen. We need to continue to breathe life into our partnerships beyond the initial enthusiasm at the beginning, and to do that, we need to map out where we want it to go. A good partnership growth plan will set out what you want to achieve in the short, medium and long term. Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) objectives for the partnership. Think about the key milestones. And most importantly, have it set out on a clear, concise one-page plan that you refer to often.
- See the world through the company’s eyes
Remember all of that amazing research you did when you first reached out to the company? Keep it up! Like any partnership in life, you want to consistently demonstrate that you are interested in them. You care about them and you care about what is happening in their world. Some great ways to do this are to set up news alerts for the company, join their mailing list, and follow the company on LinkedIn. Check out their Twitter and Instagram and see what digital campaigns they are running. Set up alerts for topics that you know they care about. And don’t be a lurker… use this information to demonstrate that you are engaged when you meet with them. Being aware of what is happening in their world is key to growing partnerships.
- Drive momentum
If we are only contacting our partners on agreed report dates, or at the bi-annual check-in, then we are only ‘just’ delivering. A really great tip is to book check-ins with your partner regularly…schedule them into diaries in advance. This may look like a monthly 30-minute coffee, reaching out beyond the report dates to offer relevant updates or offering opportunities to connect with your services. All of the research you’ve been doing will help make sure that these check-ins are topical, offer value, and spark creative ideas, all of which will drive partnership momentum.
- Be like velcro
Velcro – one of the world’s simplest, yet greatest, inventions. When thinking about your partner, we want you to think of all those tiny hooks, connecting with all their lovely loops in perfect harmony. One of the most important things you can do is to build connections across the partner company. Hanging off one hook can be a tricky place to be. A partnership built on one contact is precarious, so we want to build out across multiple touchpoints to create a more stable, and embedded, foundation. Introduce their communications team with your communications team, offer learning sessions for their colleagues, and connect your CEOs. The more connections you have across the company, the more champions you have advocating for you.
- Knock their socks off!
We want you to be remarkable. And one of the simplest, most enjoyable and inspiring ways to do this is to make sure you take the time to celebrate your partner. Go above and beyond when thanking them. When they come on board, send them a welcome pack. When they make a payment don’t just rely on the invoice receipt to thank them, handwrite a card. There is always something you can bounce off – birthdays, key work dates, key global dates, budget season (everyone needs cheering up when setting budgets). Remember little details about them. Share with them the impact your partnership is making. Bring the joy and you will make partnering with your charity both memorable and uplifting.
If you enjoyed this blog, you might be interested in attending our Key Account Management training.
Discover the skills, tools and confidence for you to provide an excellent partnership experience and maximise value from your key corporate partnerships.
Taking place online on the 8th December 2022. Click here to find out more.
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