In my blog, Six "Must-Do"s for Successful Ecosystem Marketing, I talked about the challenge of maintaining harmony in the ecosystem. Ecosystem marketing manages a difficult balance between touting the virtues of the whole ecosystem and showing the value of individual partner relationships. It's a tightrope and often somebody feels slighted if you are not careful in your approach.
Several different strategies exist when managing the ecosystem. What works for one company, might not work for another. To stay balanced on that tightrope, have a game plan and make sure expectations are set properly with the partners. Determine which partner will be offered which marketing opportunities and why. The impact of the strategy can be far-reaching. It will affect not only marketing program execution but can also impact partner relationships. Whether it's web presence, content development, or even a partner pavilion at a tradeshow, partners will be sensitive to how they are positioned vis-a-vis other partners who are often their competitors.
At Cisco we have great deal of respect for our partner relationships. This is why we put a lot of thought into how to engage and involve our partners in programs. We want to make sure we are optimizing both Cisco's and the partner's investment of time, money and resources.
Besides knowing the ecosystem landscape, a key to developing the approach is to know the audience and objectives for the program. In many cases, determining which partners will be most relevant to the intended audience naturally unfolds. Here are a few approaches:
Any one of these approaches may be used in different situations when it comes to balancing the tightrope of ecosystem marketing. What is most important is to have a clear understanding on the strategy so that partners are hearing a consistent message. Partner relationships can be damaged if there is confusion or inconsistency.
Good luck staying on that tightrope!
What are your thoughts? How do you think Cisco is doing in its ecosystem marketing? Please give me your feedback here, as I would love to know more about where you think we're heading.