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Hey Murat!

Here’s an outline of how I think a short term Fractional role with Shopney could work, some potential costings, and also a bit of info on my framework and how I go about things.

Anything else you need, just shout - but it would be great to continue the conversation

Cheers, Dave

The Scope

In case video isn’t your thing, it goes without saying but I'd love to work with you. I think what you're doing is really exciting, and with me knowing the agency landscape well and being well versed in partnerships I would be able to drop straight in to support you and ensure that the momentum thats been built over the last few months isn’t lost. Momentum is crucial in partnerships (or any relationship!) so here’s a rough structure on how I think I could help with this. This is just to frame a second conversation because it would be of course be flexed depending on what was needed by you.

Partner Relationships

First and foremost I can drop straight in and make sure the existing live partners are feeling taken care of. Providing any reassurance needed and continue to build trust and that all important momentum

Partner Activation

Something I’m really well versed in is making it easy for introductions to happen. If there are any blocks right now I’ll get to the bottom of those, but work with the agency partners to come up with activation methods that ensure a steady flow of leads into Shopney (see the ‘Connection’ part of my framework for this)

Partner Acquisition

I spend almost all my time in and around agencies - I’m pretty certain I’ll be able to add to the partner pipeline

Partner Nurturing

If needed, I can look at easy ways to nurture partners en masse - touch points that keep us front of mind until they’re ready for a more in depth conversation

Event Representation

I can of course be there to represent Shopney at things like eComm collab, Digital Clubhouse etc


Systems / Process

The nature of my core business being a consultancy one means that if there is anything I see where tweaks to systems and process could aid in the scaling of the Shopney partner programme then I’ll of course bring those to the table! 

How Do We Work Together?

I’ve based this on 1 day per week - with a suggested structure of a 12-5 dedicated to Shopney, and then an hour a day on the others to stay checked in / have agency meetings

On top of that though you’ll always be on my mind when I’m doing my own work in the space - be that with clients or networking.

Costs:

I normally charge from £2500 p/m, based on a 6 month term and with commissions on top - however I appreciate this will need looking at based on the potential short term nature

Strategic Partnerships Framework

My approach to partnerships is always based around my DANCE framework, which helps turn these relationships from friendly handshakes into something structured and scaleable. It consists of 5 different routines, each with their own steps. It’s been honed over many years of practical, on the floor, experience.

  • There’s 3 main things to think about here and it sets up everything else that we work on:

    Why are you partnering? We need to be crystal clear on the outcome you’re looking to achieve. How highly qualified do you need the leads to be, and at what volume?

    We need to know what a successful partner program looks like for you so we can help you achieve it.

    Who’s your ideal client? Again, we need to be as specific as possible, if we don’t know who your ideal (or chosen target) client is, how can we uncover who the perfect partner is?

    Who are your Perfect Partners? It’s not about saying we won’t work with anyone else, but about really identifying where we focus our proactive efforts. Where they’ll pass the right quality of lead, at the right volume, and at the right time. It’s much more than just having the right audience for you; it’s about the nature of their relationship, how they communicate, their values, and so much more.

    We’ll not only uncover who they are, but also your unique Partner Value Proposition which allows you to engage with potential partners quickly and effortlessly before implementing the rest of the framework with ease - ensuring the success you’re looking for.

  • For a partnership programme to flourish, and then scale, you need to ensure you have the behind the scenes set up in order. From internal systems, software and personnel, to the structure of your agreements - covering things like how we reward your partners.

    We’ll make sure no stone is left unturned so you can be sure of delivering a consistent level of service to your partners.

    The simple things really do matter, get this wrong and your partners will immediately lose trust, get it right and you’ll have partners for life.

    You may not be ready to have everything in place on day one, but we’ll ensure there’s a road map to best in class that will serve you well along the way.

  • Your partners could become as important to the future of your business as your most key clients, so we need to make sure you treat them as such.

    Communication is key and we’ll look at the various channels each partner type will need to ensure a rock solid relationship is formed that only builds over time.

    From setting expectations at outset, and a seamless onboarding process; to reviews and regular updates that keep you front of mind, and the partnership moving in the right direction.

    It’s about getting the right mix of automation and personal contact. Functional messages and value add communications. Formal reviews or forming relationships.

    We’ll ensure your partners are left feeling loved, valued, and informed; so that when they’re approached by other potential partners there’s not even a thought in their mind about working with anyone but you.

  • A successful partnership doesn’t just happen. You need to help your partners connect their audience to you. Do the heavy lifting, make it easy for them, and you’ll reap the rewards.

    Don’t, and you may well find your partnership experience an underwhelming one.

    Depending on the partner and how they engage with their audience you’ll need to provide the right level of support.

    Is this internal marketing support?

    Partner facing materials where you share the benefit of your experience to enhance the ability of the partner and their team to refer you.

    Or

    Is it external, customer facing support?

    All the materials and activities your partners may need to connect you with their audience through successful co-marketing campaigns.

    From static materials like sales emails, to more immersive experiences like events.

    -

    We’ll look at all this and more, including how you can integrate part of your offering into your partners own processes so the lead generation process happens seamlessly and repeatedly.

  • With confidence in your partnership offering, and the road map to an even stronger programme, it’s time to build your partner acquisition strategy.

    Using the partner value propositions we identified during the Discovery stage we’ll cover how to get your first partners on board, how to then leverage them and your network to grow your partner base, before looking at advanced strategies to scale your programme when the time is right.

    Within this we’ll look at the supporting materials and messaging required - but by this point it’s all systems go.

    Our simple 3 step process will provide you with all the partner leads you need to grow your programme and your business.

Partnership Testimonials

  • Steve Vale - Commercial Director Of Plann3d Solutions

    When I first started working with Dave at the start of the year, my immediate goal was to not have a dip in work during the summer months.

    8 weeks later with £100k of new work in, that I put wholly down to the mindset shifts and practical applications Dave has introduced, and my goals shifted.

    I’ve not had to do anything drastically different to what I was doing before, just make subtle shifts in my behaviour and language to be more intentional about referrals with my network.

    As I’ve built momentum with the conversations I’ve been having, the connections and results have just snowballed.

    And the work brought on has typically been with the clients that I want to be working with ongoing.

    I can already see how this is going to bring the consistency our business needs in order to scale, and I’m now looking at how partnerships and referrals can help me attract more of those ideal clients rather than just filling my pipeline.

  • Rod Bailey - Chief Visionary Officer at ExecutiveSurf

    If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me one of these; "Why bother investing in a consultant to help you bring in high quality new business through partnerships and referrals?" or "That's so obvious isn't it?" or "Don't you do that already?" or "Is that even a thing?", then... well I wouldn't actually still need to be in business...

    Thanks Dave Plunkett and the folks at Collaboration Junkies. In just a few months, you've opened our eyes to a whole new world of opportunity, plenty of exciting prospects and some fully signed up new clients. I think you're on to something.

    ExecutiveSurf - hooked on Collaboration junkies

    ps. the answers to those questions: 1. Because there's a big ROI, 2. Yes but when did 'obvious' get a free pass into marketing strategy? 3. A bit, but blindly, making it pretty unproductive, 4. Yes, but don't tell anyone about it.

  • Tom Hadley - Founder of Sufu Marketing

    Dave Plunkett is one of the most valuable businesspeople I’ve met in the last few years. He has deep specialist knowledge, a fantastic network and, most importantly, a deep empathy with people and a passion for helping them succeed.

    Undertaking the Kick-Ass Collaboration Programme from Collaboration Junkie has achieved three things for Sufu that, even as an experienced founder who is a decade into my journey, I was struggling to achieve alone.

    1. Targeting - I was able to see past some deeply embedded misconceptions about who my most valuable partners were, why, and how to redirect my focus. We all have blindspots, Dave removed mine.

    2. Process & Systems – Dave has the “how” of partnerships down. You don’t need to worry that partnerships mean creating a lot of documentation, Dave has done the vast majority of the work for you, you can just tweak them to your needs.

    3. Getting to work – The last value working with Dave has given me is simply the ability to make me move the dial for myself! He is as adept at working with people who are unsure and need nurturing, as he is with people who are confident and need challenging. He gets you to get it done!

    I’ve already started to achieve tangible outcomes from my work with Dave in terms of securing valuable mentoring roles, getting content co-creation opportunities with valuable partners and improving my commercial outcomes through better pricing and negotiation.

    Collaboration Junkie is a difference-making partner for B2B businesses who want to grow.

To see our full range of case studies and testimonials click here

Next Steps…

If there’s anything else you need from me, just let me know, and a conversation around the numbers would need to be had to make sure it’s all smooth. Int the meantime there’s some more info on me below.

  • Over the course of his career, Dave has developed hundreds, if not thousands, of partnerships. From growing his own membership organisation to 2000 members almost entirely through referrals and strategic partnerships, to providing access to the SME market for global brands such as Regus & Volvo, reaching nearly 1 million business owners along the way.

    Dave's previous business was a customer engagement agency that helped connect business services providers to their target market by working with organisations that already had a community of their audience. Facilitating all the marketing support to make sure the right quality of leads were provided at the right time, in a way that added value to all concerned. Whether it be with big brands or new start ups, tailored introductions or prospects at scale (we delivered over 10,000 digital marketing leads to Yell over a 2 year period) we offer experience of lead generation partnerships from both sides of the coin.

    And not all that experience has been positive. We learned as much from the mistakes made or witnessed as the successes. We've learned the hard way so you don't have to.

    In 2020 (pre COVID) Collaboration Junkie was born. Helping ambitious business owners leverage their credibility to get high quality leads, on a consistent basis, from trusted 3rd parties - making Lead Generation an enjoyable process!

    Over the last 5.1/2 years we've worked directly with well over 100 business owners and their teams, the majority being in the agency space. Our sweet spot is successful brands looking for their next stage of growth - leveraging their brilliant reputation within their chosen sector to build exciting partnerships, and a culture of referrals within their teams, that means introductions from both partners and clients scales alongside the business.

    Want to know a bit more about Dave as a person? Click here!