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Nearbound Daily #480: Unleash the Power of Your Ecosystem

Intelligence > Information

You want intelligence, not information.

Latané Conant (CRO at 6Sense) made the point regarding data capture in a post,

Some revenue teams get sidetracked by amassing huge amounts of data (information) without having a way to distill it into intelligence they can use.

If you’re a partner pro, the same applies to you. First, make sure you’re collecting data, then make sure you can turn your data into intelligence.

• Can you tell a story with your data?
• Can you help your sellers, marketers, or CS people take action with your data?
• Can you make better partner decisions because of your data?

Here’s an additional tip from Latané → use AI to turn the overload of information into intelligence.

The understated power of ecosystem orchestration

10 years ago we lived in a simpler world.

Simpler solutions.

Simpler processes.

Simpler strategies.

As the industry has evolved, we’ve seen technology improve and customers demand more from their solutions.

In one of my favorite books, The Third Wave by Steve Case, he says, “The Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stone. It ended because we invented something better.”

The ecosystem is our something better. It’s how we’re going to offer customers the fastest, easiest, most integrated solutions…ever.

I took this thought to my good friend Zoë Kelly from 360insights and she shared an incredible piece they recently published — Rethinking Your Tech Stack for Ecosystem Orchestration.

It’s worth a read.

In it, the 360insights team explains why ecosystem orchestration is the solution to this increasingly complex world of ecosystems:

Effective ecosystem orchestration aligns the various elements [and personas] in an ecosystem to achieve a unified vision and propel collective success in the dynamic marketplace.

Without ecosystem orchestration, the ecosystem isn’t unified or integrated. There are many moving pieces with nothing to hold them together. 

Everything’s gotten more complex.

For example, in the piece they highlight the personas that used to be involved in indirect channel interactions, versus those that are involved in ecosystems today.

Before:

• Manufacturers
• Channel Partners
• Sales Representatives
• Partner Account Managers

After: 

• Partners
• Customers
• Sales Professionals
• Marketing Professionals 
• Partner Managers
• Product Managers
• Technology Specialists
• Operations and Supply Chain Professionals
• Customer Success Managers
• Executives and Leadership 
• Influencers

That’s triple the personas.

Ecosystem orchestration is how we’re going to build big, strong, value-driving ecosystems!

Read the download here and catch up on Allan Adler’s columns on ecosystem orchestration here.

A crystal ball would be nice right about now...

Stuff you don’t want to miss!

• Nearbound Summit 2023 Recordings—The future of GTM is Nearbound. Watch the recordings to hear how B2B leaders across departments unite with Nearbound strategies and tactics. Listen here.
• January 25th— CEO Summit —Join Pavilion and many more companies to be part of expert-led educational sessions, covering top-of-mind issues for CEOs and Founders. Learn about the latest sales insights, building a pricing strategy, and co-selling. Register here. 
• Feb 5-7th in Miami—Impartnercon 2024—Partnerships are the future of growth. Join partner leaders to learn what it means to build the future of business, together.  Register here.
• March 19-20th—Affiverse’s Amplify Summit—Join them for a 2-day virtual event to help affiliate businesses amplify their performance. Learn about digital, partnership, and affiliate marketing. Register here.

Expand the ecosystem

Ecosystems become more powerful when people are added.