The Do's and Dont's of Creating Business Partnerships

Written by Andrea Pellettiere


Continued from page 1

-Do specify how referrals will be passed to you. Will clients be contacting you directly or willrepparttar initial inquiry pass through your partner?

-Do specify your payment structure in writing. Will you paid directly by clients that come to you or willrepparttar 104051 billing process take place through your partner's organization? If you are not being paid directly, what isrepparttar 104052 billing and payment cycle through your partner's company? What percentage of commission, if any, will you owe to your partner for business that comes in through their company?

-Don't dismiss partnerships with companies, organizations or individuals with whom you don't have an immediate and obvious synergy. Be open! Be creative! Explore! For example, I am inrepparttar 104053 process of working with several business coaches to create seminars on how to host successful product launches for home based businesses.

-Don't neglect to do your research. Ideally, partner with an organization that you are familiar with and whose services you have either used personally or in a business setting. (Or, get at least three referrals from others familiar with your potential partner's services and business style.)

-Don't accept verbal assurances, particularly where commission and payment structure is concerned. Even if you know and trust your partner, having a formal written agreement is insurance against misunderstanding.

-Don't hesitate to question a partnership that is not living up to your expectations. Strategic alliances are a two way street. If your counterpart is following your business agreement, politely remind them of their reponsibilities.

-Don't reveal any information, resources, benefits etc. that make your value proposition unique until you are 100% sure how that information will be used and presented by your business partner.

In short, strategic alliances can be an effective method of marketing, advertising and sharing resources. Whatever form your business partnership will take, be sure that expectations are clearly defined on both sides.



Andrea has over ten years of experience in the events and hospitality industry. She is currently an entrepeneur and small business owner.

Andrea's company, Eleganza Meetings, Events & Conferences Inc., offers a full range of planning resources and services. She will also be launching allaboutsmallbiz.com, a website geared for fellow small business owners.

Andrea may be contacted via Eleganza's website http://eleganzaevents.tripod.com


Moving Key Audiences to Take Action?

Written by Robert A. Kelly


Continued from page 1

Time to set your PR goal, one that stands a good chance of doing something aboutrepparttar most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. It could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

Next step isrepparttar 104050 right strategy, one that tells you how to proceed. And keep in mind that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Sincerepparttar 104051 wrong strategy pick will taste like marinara sauce on your key lime pie, be certainrepparttar 104052 new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don’t want to select “change” whenrepparttar 104053 facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Time for some hard work. Write a moving message and aim it at members of your target audience. As always, crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is tough work. Which is why you need your first-string varsity writer because s/he must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shift perception/opinion towards your point of view leading torepparttar 104054 behaviors you are targeting.

I’d try it out on my PR colleagues for impact and persuasiveness. Then, selectrepparttar 104055 communications tactics most likely to carry your message torepparttar 104056 attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure thatrepparttar 104057 tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Becauserepparttar 104058 credibility of a message is often dependent onrepparttar 104059 means used to deliver it, you may decide to unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher- profile news releases. Calls for progress reports will soon be heard, which signals to you and your PR team to get busy on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many ofrepparttar 104060 same questions used inrepparttar 104061 first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs thatrepparttar 104062 bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Byrepparttar 104063 way, aren’t we fortunate that, if things ever slow down, we can simply accelerate matters by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies?

So, what you really wantrepparttar 104064 new PR plan to accomplish is to persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to repparttar 104065 success of your department, division or subsidiary.

Yes, powerful is a strong word but certainly not too strong whenrepparttar 104066 people you deal with do, in fact, behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions ofrepparttar 104067 facts they hear about you and your operation. Leaving you little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move your key external audiences to actions you desire.

end



Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. Mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com




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