The best ways to maintain and strengthen B2B relationships in challenging times

There’s no denying we are living in strange times. Not only has the worldwide pandemic caused a huge human toll, but its effects have laid bare entire business sectors. And while governments have unrolled and unpacked a slew of measures to keep the economy sparking, it’s important to focus simply on the things you CAN do right now, rather than those that you can’t.

1. EMPATHY GOES A LONG WAY

One of the most effective things costs nothing at all. Many businesses are doing it tough and showing an understanding of this to your business partners is important to maintaining good relationships. It can be as simple as reaching out to share your experience and enquire about theirs, or it may mean relaxing some payment deadlines or negotiating a new strategy that works with reduced staffing levels.

2. COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

One thing that can spread faster than a virus is misinformation. That’s why it’s important to have a voice and keep your business partners informed of everything that is happening. Consider your audience at all times and avoid ambiguity in any guidelines or revised conditions.

3. DEVELOP SUPPORT PROGRAMS

When a sports team is down on points, they don’t throw in the towel. Instead, it’s about adapting your strategy to get back in the game. With an effective sales and marketing support program – one that isn’t tone-deaf to the climate – you can strengthen your relationships by backing them to succeed.

Time to play your A game – It’s all about strategy

Everyone with a business wants to be a success – but just like sports, there will be winners and losers. If you want to be a winner, you have to play your “A game”.

Your “A game” is your blueprint to success. It helps you navigate each play by having the right people in the action at that moment. Like a giant flowchart, there are multiple decisions to be made – with many options to choose. These will then lead to further options, further choices and so on. Creating your own unique path.

The key is turning your unique path into a winning one – and for that, you need to ensure you are making the best decision at each crossroads – making sure your people are making the right moves and countering whatever the opposition is playing at the same time. By bringing your “A game” to every situation, you’ll carve out a winning strategy, regardless of the project or product at hand.

So how exactly do you make sure you’re following the best path? It’s all about bringing your best team together and implementing the right strategy. Here at Cocktail, we are experts at drawing Xs and arrows on whiteboards – and helping you get the most out of your team.

How to get your resellers to sell your brand in preference to your competitors

Do you want resellers to sell your brand in preference to your competitors? Of course you do. The first step to becoming a preferred brand is communicating with your reseller.

This might seem obvious but the fact is that simply including your reseller in the conversation and acknowledging how important they are to your brand’s success is something not everyone does. So make sure it happens and that the message is clear.

Of course, it helps to be able to demonstrate why you deserve to be their preferred brand. You already know that customers will love your product – the key is proving it to those who will be giving them purchasing advice.

The elephant in the showroom remains however – “what’s in it for me?”. And that’s where it takes a well thought out reseller support strategy to move your brand to top of mind and top of the charts. The right mix of reseller incentives and sales support is different for every B2B relationship – it’s all about getting the formula right.

Unique times call for tailor-made solutions, and that’s what you get when you choose to partner up with Cocktail. Contact us today to book your obligation free consultation.

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