In the world of Business, Patnership is a very powerful tool for business development. It is one of the tools that have helped a lot of great businesses. I talked about the theory of self made Men last week.
So what is Patnership ?
Patnership is simply accepting the next person to help push your vision
Patnerships can either come in the form of co-founding a business with another person or working with an existing business whose vision aligns with yours
If you isolate your self from people, your vision will be isolated from you. Patnership makes you achieve more and ensures longevity
A lot of people admire Bill Gates based on the level of wealth that he has been able to achieve. But there was some patnerships that he put in play that enabled him to achieve dominance
The Windows Operating system powers a huge majority of World computers today and that is only possible because Bill was able to secure partnerships with Computer manufacturers that made his software number one
There are a lot of reasons why people fail to toe the line of patnership. It may be because of the fact that they lack self confidence when it comes to reaching out or it is their lack of team spirit that serves as an anchor weighing them down. Or it may be due to the fact that lack the ability to prirotize
These factors must be dealt with if you truly want to enjoy the Synergy that comes with Patnership
When going into any patnership there are two things you must consider
+ Whether the person or business you are patnering with is connected to your target Market
+ Whether the person or business has access to someone who can reach your audience
Patnerships have to be mutually beneficial and those benefits must be clearly defined. There must be clarity on what their business gets, what yours get and most Importantly what your customers get
You also have to be aware that Credibiity and validation can be a reward for patnership. If I run a energy drink company, I can patner and give value to a football team and be recognised as an official sponsor, this will increase the value perception of what I have to offer in the eyes of consumers
It is not every patnership that need to earn you money directly. Most times the most profitable patnerships are those who serve as a platform for you to be brought into the Lime light
When going to pitch your personal or business brand for a Patnership deal you have to prepare well ahead. You have to study well ahead for likely questions you may be asked because you will be judged on the answers you give and not how awesome you or your business is.
Find out likely things they may want in advance and find ways to fill those needs beforehand
And finally, the paramount goal of any patnership should be value creation for your customers or your audience. They are the true motivation for the Patnerships and when it comes to seving them effectively there should be no room for compromise
Thanks For Reading
Image Source: Pexels
Unfortunately the story of Bill Gates is not one to commend. But, he was successful with his company using "partnerships".
Yes a lot of people dislike the business model of Gates and Jobs but they were smart business Men
@uplandmines
according to a popular quote
partnership doesnt only build trust but it gives more idea and making your business a look faster
Thanks for the quote @camzy
We always do need each other's at every step of the way. No man is an island....partnership is of necessity.
Well said @ogochukwu
Thanks for reading and the added knowledge @cyprainj
Partnership is definitely a good way to push your vision into reality but we should also recognize the fact that partnership has a dark side.
Choosing the wrong partner could mar your business /vision. Example partnering with a richer person without being careful could lead to a take over or partnering with someone who doesn't share your dream/vision could also Mar you
Thanks for the added wisdom @molokwu
If you can't learn to "use" your network, for lack of a better term, you are doomed to fail or at least plateau in your success.
That's very true @cryptomeeks