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At Trade Compass (www.tradecompass.com), the leading website and
Internet software company for global trade and transportation, we have found
it beneficial to partner with a few select big companies in a strategy
that I have dubbed "gorilla marketing." By forming strategic alliances with
such 'gorillas' as Microsoft (3 divisions), GTE's Enterprise Solutions
group, Oracle, FedEx, and Sterling Commerce among others, we have been
able to advance our marketing objectives beyond where we would have been
otherwise.
These relationships have helped us: (1) ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS through co
-branded sales and marketing programs. For example, we're teaming with all
of the above listed companies on our 15-city "Export America" conference
series to jointly educate/evangelize the trade community; we're a part
of Microsoft's Value Chain Initiative 'dream team' in which our solution along with
those of other VCI members is being pitched to Fortune 500 companies; and GTE
wants to resell our services to GTE's existing and new corporate intranet accounts
(2) ATTRACT ATTENTION through joint PR announcements and programs.Oracle,
through their PR firm, regularly engineers articles in major trade magazines featuring
our use of the Oracle Express Server for our World Trade Analyzer product... free
national exposure. (3) GET A JUMP ON COMPETITION.
Big companies seem to only want to work with a select group of alliance
partners, and in our experience, only want to work with those which lead
their 'sector.' By gaining the alliance of the 'gorillas' at this stage in our
development, we hope to add momentum to the lead in our niche to stay.
If I were to relay any keys to our success so far (time and cash flow
will the ultimate judge of these relationships), I would say that it's important
to (a) BE SELECTIVE of alliance partners and try to pick the best to further
specific goals of your Marketing Plan, and (b) DRIVE THE AGENDA.
Another Microsoft alliance partner--a small company like ours--passed along
this advice to me at a Microsoft Small Business Summit. Respect
comes--and objectives are furthered--when you set and maintain the
reigns of the agenda. I would be interested to hear from the group of any similar
experiences and advice regarding 'gorilla marketing'.
George Atkinson
Vice President, Marketing
Trade Compass
1510 H. St. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-783-4455
Fax: 202-783-4465
E-Mail: gatkinson@tradecompass.com
www.tradecompass.com
"Gateway to International Commerce"
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