Many use the “partner” word on both sides of the transaction (selling and prospect) - I don’t think it’s properly used, understood or even wanted (in many cases). Speaking from the selling (initiator) side it is your responsibility to get others to view you as you want to be seen - a partner. If you can’t position yourself as such, you will forever be living in a vendor environment - which you next step down that spiral staircase is commodity which is really not fun.
To set the partner stage, you need to be positioned as someone that can help them reach aspirations that are beyond their current capability. Once accomplished, you will be exposed to more information, their desires and you will help them even from a strategic level (which is helping them solve problems that don’t even exist yet). The other side of the coin….if you’re working with someone who doesn’t have aspirations beyond there current capability and certainty into the future - you’re not getting in. They won’t look for partners and a vendor will do quite fine. There’s nothing you can do except go find someone else.
The challenge is we say we want only partner relationships and when we fall into a vendor situation, we don’t hold our ground and allow ourselves to be treated as a vendor (like everyone else) - back to doing quotes, “guessing” where a prospect is, responding to RFPs…
In the future, we’ll discuss and share ways to build out a Partnership-based business. The first step is to see yourself as being such.
It’s your ground to stand