Comments on: Strategic Partnerships. Are they all that and a bag of chips? http://jeffcutler.com/jeff/2009/07/strategic-partnerships-are-they-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips/ Content Specialist, Social Media Journalist Tue, 15 May 2012 09:41:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ari Herzog http://jeffcutler.com/jeff/2009/07/strategic-partnerships-are-they-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips/comment-page-1/#comment-2570 Ari Herzog Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:29:52 +0000 http://jeffcutler.com/jeff/?p=601#comment-2570 If I'm a financial services company and have my choice of two candidates to train my staff in a workshop on how to use something that can relate to finance but is not a financial tool in itself, I'd opt for the non-financial person to do it. In your scenario, Fidelity should hire Gradon and IKEA should hire Mike. The reasoning is no different than why my father, an attorney, once told me that many law schools are more apt to accept an incoming freshman who had a bachelor's degree in art history than one who studied pre-law. Why? Because the art history student would be more well-rounded and possess a greater acumen for the study of law and all it entailed than the pre-law student who would be predisposed for certain areas. Focus more on strategy and less on partnerships. Each can include the other but it's a fallacy to assume there is a bridge. If I’m a financial services company and have my choice of two candidates to train my staff in a workshop on how to use something that can relate to finance but is not a financial tool in itself, I’d opt for the non-financial person to do it. In your scenario, Fidelity should hire Gradon and IKEA should hire Mike.

The reasoning is no different than why my father, an attorney, once told me that many law schools are more apt to accept an incoming freshman who had a bachelor’s degree in art history than one who studied pre-law. Why? Because the art history student would be more well-rounded and possess a greater acumen for the study of law and all it entailed than the pre-law student who would be predisposed for certain areas.

Focus more on strategy and less on partnerships. Each can include the other but it’s a fallacy to assume there is a bridge.

]]> By: Todd Randolph http://jeffcutler.com/jeff/2009/07/strategic-partnerships-are-they-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips/comment-page-1/#comment-2569 Todd Randolph Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:36:27 +0000 http://jeffcutler.com/jeff/?p=601#comment-2569 interesting concept. but I see some devils lurking in the details. one of the coolest things about the social media community is a willingness to share knowledge. thus a gradon can call a mike for some quick advice in one of mike's areas of expertise - and vice versa. however, this informal collaboration dies a quick death when the delicate balance of guid pro quo gets out of whack. nobody wants to do someone's job for them if they're not getting paid for it. I believe what you propose in your article is similar to the general contractor model used in the construction business. one person takes responsibility for managing subcontractors - usually specialists whose work the gc cannot handle on his or her own. the client benefits from a single point of contact. the onus falls on the general contractor to know enough about the functional elements required for the project to develop an rfp that will let him pay his subcontractors and still leave some profit on the table. one solution is for the lead consultant can go in with a team to develop the rfp together. the risk here is spooking the client. instead of one point of contact, there are now x faces, even if the engagement is being handled through the lead consultant. I agree 100% with jeff's main thesis. there are certainly clients out there who require more than expertise with the social media toolset. in fact, I would argue that just as social media is not a panacea for all marketing ills, it is essential that all those looking to sell themselves as social media consultants have more to offer than _just_ social media. in addition, anyone considering a project requiring knowledge beyond his/her own needs experience in the agency pricing model. interesting concept. but I see some devils lurking in the details. one of the coolest things about the social media community is a willingness to share knowledge. thus a gradon can call a mike for some quick advice in one of mike’s areas of expertise – and vice versa. however, this informal collaboration dies a quick death when the delicate balance of guid pro quo gets out of whack. nobody wants to do someone’s job for them if they’re not getting paid for it.

I believe what you propose in your article is similar to the general contractor model used in the construction business. one person takes responsibility for managing subcontractors – usually specialists whose work the gc cannot handle on his or her own. the client benefits from a single point of contact. the onus falls on the general contractor to know enough about the functional elements required for the project to develop an rfp that will let him pay his subcontractors and still leave some profit on the table.

one solution is for the lead consultant can go in with a team to develop the rfp together. the risk here is spooking the client. instead of one point of contact, there are now x faces, even if the engagement is being handled through the lead consultant.

I agree 100% with jeff’s main thesis. there are certainly clients out there who require more than expertise with the social media toolset. in fact, I would argue that just as social media is not a panacea for all marketing ills, it is essential that all those looking to sell themselves as social media consultants have more to offer than _just_ social media. in addition, anyone considering a project requiring knowledge beyond his/her own needs experience in the agency pricing model.

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