Turn competition into collaboration
Turn competition into collaboration
A while ago I was invited along to a sales training workshop following a networking meeting I’d attended. Some people couldn’t work out why I’d been invited or why I’d want to go as I was an established sales trainer and the guy running the workshop had a somewhat intimidating reputation that preceded him.
It was a small workshop made up of people already pretty successful in their chosen fields. As frank and open participation was encouraged and, as the trainer running the workshop and I had very different views on one of the techniques advocated, the session became extremely lively!
I had a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening three hours (thank you Marcus) and got to know about a guy I’d be happy to recommend to his target market. He knows more about me and is prepared to do likewise as and when the opportunity arises.
It became crystal clear during that workshop and our ensuing telephone conversation that, partly because our approach and styles of delivery are so different, we’re not in competition at all… And we each stand to benefit from our collaboration.
Take another example:
One of my customers runs a small family firm creating bespoke special purpose machines and product equipment for the manufacturing industry.
He’s first and foremost an engineer and found it difficult to prospect for business, claiming that companies tend to approach him as and when they have a need rather than file his information away 'in case'. He relied on referrals and his website to provide all of his work and sometimes there was nothing from either source.
He knew who his larger competitors were, so I asked how often he thought they would be approached for small, bespoke solutions and how viable it would be for them to provide them. He didn’t know the answer to the first question but believed they wouldn’t be set up to easily and cost effectively meet the need. So I suggested contacting them and exploring opportunities for collaboration.
He was comfortable with this approach and didn’t really view it as prospecting. He gradually built his contacts, started getting referrals and established a good reputation amongst these companies and is now seen as their automatic first port of call to help their customers in this situation.
Win - win for everyone. Give it a go - see if you can turn competition into collaboration!
Turn competition into collaboration - To learn more about this author, visit Linda Mattacks's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Once you’re happy in your brand and its positioning you can explore ways to turn competition to collaboration
A while ago I was invited along to a sales training workshop following a networking meeting I’d attended. Some people couldn’t work out why I’d been invited or why I’d want to go as I was an established sales trainer and the guy running the workshop had a somewhat intimidating reputation that preceded him.
It was a small workshop made up of people already pretty successful in their chosen fields. As frank and open participation was encouraged and, as the trainer running the workshop and I had very different views on one of the techniques advocated, the session became extremely lively!
I had a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening three hours (thank you Marcus) and got to know about a guy I’d be happy to recommend to his target market. He knows more about me and is prepared to do likewise as and when the opportunity arises.
It became crystal clear during that workshop and our ensuing telephone conversation that, partly because our approach and styles of delivery are so different, we’re not in competition at all… And we each stand to benefit from our collaboration.
Take another example:
One of my customers runs a small family firm creating bespoke special purpose machines and product equipment for the manufacturing industry.
He’s first and foremost an engineer and found it difficult to prospect for business, claiming that companies tend to approach him as and when they have a need rather than file his information away 'in case'. He relied on referrals and his website to provide all of his work and sometimes there was nothing from either source.
He knew who his larger competitors were, so I asked how often he thought they would be approached for small, bespoke solutions and how viable it would be for them to provide them. He didn’t know the answer to the first question but believed they wouldn’t be set up to easily and cost effectively meet the need. So I suggested contacting them and exploring opportunities for collaboration.
He was comfortable with this approach and didn’t really view it as prospecting. He gradually built his contacts, started getting referrals and established a good reputation amongst these companies and is now seen as their automatic first port of call to help their customers in this situation.
Win - win for everyone. Give it a go - see if you can turn competition into collaboration!
Turn competition into collaboration - To learn more about this author, visit Linda Mattacks's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
| |||
 |
No article feedback found. | ||
|
Leave Your Feedback | ||
|
|||
 Turn competition into collaboration
| |||
| Sometimes we can be too quick to classify other companies in our market as competition when closer examination could uncover potential mutually beneficial alliances. |
|||
|
A CEOs Thoughts on Collaboration
| |||
 I had breakfast with Matt Blumberg – the CEO of Return Path – yesterday. I’ve worked with Matt for at least six years and love the way his brain works. During my frustrating quest for the best chocolate croissant ... |
|||
|
Collaborate or Die! Me, Seth Godin and John Jantsch
| |||
 Here are two great tips on collaboration – a major theme in WGYB – from marketing whizzes Seth Godin and John Jantsch. Seth and John will be joining me in the first of several FREE teleseminars – go here to sign up ... |
|||
|
Collaboration & Team Building for Sales Force Management Growth
| |||
| Collaboration & Team Building: Adding Value to Your Employees |
|||
|
Collaboration Rather Than Competition – The Need for Wise Partnerships is Higher than Ever
| |||
| With today’s economy the way it is it is necessary for entrepreneurs to consider alternative methods for sustaining as well as growing their business. An incredibly powerful solution is through collaboration rather ... |
|||
| |||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
 Linda Mattacks (Visit Linda's Website) "Linda Mattacks is one of those rare professionals who combine deep strategy-awareness with a thoroughly practical approach to business marketing. What's more, she is as much a hard-nosed and sales-driven results seeker as she is an intuitive people person who understands what makes everyone tick. She has built a wealth of experience in sales training, business research, marketing campaign planning and project management. Linda has helped organisations of all types and sizes in the UK and Europe to learn more about their customers and markets, and turn that knowledge into revenue. Her mature and human manner has won her both business partners' and colleagues' complete trust, which has opened many new opportunities for all involved.” - Jaakko Alanko - MD McCann-Erickson, Business Division, London, England ... Linda Mattacks M IDM (the Institute of Direct Marketing) is a trainer and mentor. She has developed Selling For Business, a course that combines the sales, research and contact marketing skills that enable individual entrepreneurs and small businesses to compete successfully with large organisations. Please visit www.sel lingforbusiness.com for more details
|  |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
 |
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 |
 Selling Shovels Maslow For Entrepreneurs 5 Step Action Plan Making Networking Work Ezine Choices |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Business Plans
Top Business Plan Blogs | |
 |
Top 50 Productivity Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||
