Strategic Alliance Joint Planning Workshops Outline and Outcomes
“People support what they help create!” So getting the right people involved on the onset will increase the chances of success of the alliance!
The Joint Planning Workshops are a series of conference calls and webinar meetings to spearhead the alliance – whereby the key stakeholders representing the alliance within both organizations come together to jumpstart the alliance, find common ground (joint value proposition, target market, ideal client profile…), define the sales enablement, and execution process, and determine ongoing touch points and frequency for pipeline calls and performance reviews.
The Joint Planning Workshops span across two major functions of the Alliance Lifecycle* – Value Creation and Negotiations, and Structuring and Operational Planning
The Alliance Lifecycle includes the following stages: Strategy, Analysis/Partner Selection, Value Creation and Negotiations, Structuring and Operational Planning, Implementation, Manage and Innovate and Sun setting/Termination (or restructure).
The suggested time frame for scheduling these workshops is after the Mutual NDA is in place and after the Opportunity Summary has been completed or is near completion and the team is, in parallel, working on the Term Sheet Template.
Introductory Call
Conference Call – Duration: 1 hour
Suggested attendees from both organizations:
- Alliance Managers
- Product Managers, Subject Matter Experts
- Sales Representation for input and validation
- Marketing (ideally product or partner marketing, second best Marcom)
- … and anyone else who will be involved in the day-to-day management and will be responsible for the performance of the alliance.
Outcomes:
- Commitment to proceed
- Scheduled dates for sessions 1, 2 and 3
- Assign roles and responsibilities
- Pre-Work Assignment
Pre-Work Assignment:
Explain the Strategic Alliance 9 Step Value Creation Process and set expectations for both alliance teams (Featured Post). The goal is not to fill out everything separately but for each party to start defining: 1.Value Proposition, 2. Customer Segments, and 3. Customer Relationships – prior to attending the first workshop in order to have a productive meeting.
Session # 1 – Finding Common Ground and Market Definition (1 week later)
Webinar – Duration: 2 hours
Pre-work assignment: 9 Step Value Creation Process (Featured Post) (Value proposition, Customer Segments and Customer Relationships).
Attendees:
- Alliance Managers
- Product Managers, Subject Matter Experts
- Sales Representation for input and validation
- Marketing (ideally product or partner marketing, second best Marcom)
- … and anyone else who will be involved in the day-to-day management and will be responsible for the performance of the alliance.
Add or remove attendees as necessary.
Outcomes of session 1:
- Name the Joint Solution
- Solution Overview (List of Benefits and Features to Support the Value Proposition)
- Target Market(s) / Target Customer Segment(s)
- Paint Points specific to the Joint Solution
- Barriers to Adoption – Competitive Landscape
Assignment: Finalize the Value Proposition and Market Definition.
Session # 2 – Sales Engagement (1-2 weeks later)
Webinar – Duration: 2 hours
Pre-work Assignment: Finalize the Value Proposition and Market Definition
Attendees: (see list above) Add or remove attendees as necessary
Outcomes of session 2:
- Create a Shared Target Customer List
- Solution Components and Pricing Strategy based (or not) on target company size
- What is the Joint Sales Engagement Model for each Sales Scenario/Offering?
- Compensation Structure
- Estimated Forecasts (sales volume and timeline)
Assignment: Collaborative Sales Engagement and Execution Model for Roles and Responsibilities and for Pricing Strategy and Compensation Structure. (If you don’t have a Collaborative Sales Enablement and Execution process in place, I will address that very important aspect of the alliance in future blog posts).
Session # 3 – Collaborative Marketing and Selling (1-2 weeks later)
Webinar – Duration 2 hours
Pre-Work Assignment: Validate the Roles and Responsibilities, Sales Cycle definition and have Feedback on the Pricing Strategy, Compensation Structure and Estimated Forecasts
Attendees: Add or remove attendees as necessary
Make sure the sales organization has representation at this meeting and get their buy-in.
Outcomes of session 3:
- Joint Marketing Plan
- Comprehensive List of Joint Collateral (Sales toolkit)
- Action Plan for Targeting Shared or Targeted Customers
- Frequency of pipeline calls, format and attendees
Assignment: Develop a Market Development Plan and a Sales and Delivery Enablement Plan
Next steps:
Assuming that both organizations are satisfied with the outcome of the Joint Planning Workshops, the next order of business is to make sure you spend the necessarily amount of time co-develop a solid plan which include the key aspects for the alliance: enablement, alignment, sales engagement and go-to-market strategy.
I’d like to hear your thoughts and comments on this important topic. Please share your ideas, successes and best practices with the rest of us.
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