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Nearbound Summit 2023 is a 4-day virtual event covering Nearbound strategies and tactics for every department. Register here.

The shortest distance between you and your customer is not a straight line

It’s all about the customer, it always has been. 

But to reach the customer, the most effective route is not a straight line from you to them.

The most effective way to reach your customers is by encircling and surrounding them through a series of trusted nodes that already orbit around them. 

Being customer-centric isn’t Nearbound, but tapping into people your customers trust to help make them happier is. 

What a better, more efficient way to grow than that?

You could be the Beyoncé of your ecosystem

What does Beyoncé know that the IT Channel needs to know?

Alexandra Zagury, VP of partner managed and as-a-service Global Partner Sales at Cisco, outlined 3 lessons Queen Bey demonstrates like a modern-day Jedi.

• Quit the archetypes in favor of agile, specialized roles that you define clearly and intentionally

“Would Ms. Knowles-Carter be a thing if she was still doing Destiny’s Child? Please. Bey’s never static. Every album and every tour is fresh and new. She’s an icon but she’s no old-school archetype.”

Embrace roles that fit the moment’s needs. You have to maintain creative control while still being flexible.

• Build (or join) an ecosystem

Beyoncé is the epicenter of an ultra-cool ecosystem. From her diehard Beyhive fans to the mini-nation of global teams and technologies who bring her music, visuals, merch, and tours to life, Beyoncé’s ecosystem is robust!

We’re passed the days of winning solo. Isolation is not a recipe for success at scale.

• Deliver an experience, not a product

Beyoncé doesn’t just drop an album, she drops a lifestyle—an ongoing, immersive experience. Her fans will never forget the moments she helps orchestrate for them.

Prioritize a first-class experience for your customer. They won’t forget it.

Read more, and check out Alexandra’s Nearbound podcast episode on nearbound.com.

From rivals to partners

Peloton and Lululemon just announced a partnership to bring together the best in fitness content and athletic apparel to offer their shared audience of 20 million+ co-branded Lululemon apparel and deals on Peloton classes.

Instead of competing, the two companies are using this as an opportunity to go above and beyond for their customers.

Read more about this better-together partnership.

Stuff you don’t want to miss!

• Join the official Nearbound Summit community brought to you by Partnership Leaders — Partnership leaders’ goal is to connect people interested in learning about partnerships around the world. Join here.

• Oct 11th, 10 AM EST — Women in Alliances Summit — Join the FREE global summit featuring speakers like Jay McBain, Tina Gravel, Christine Bongard, Allison Munro, and more. They’ll touch on AI’s impact on the ecosystem, how partnerships are changing, and tips to boost your career. Register here.

• Oct 12th, 11:30 AM EST — Direct is Dying — Join two CMOs, Isaac Morehouse of Reveal and Pete Rawlinson of Allbound, for a 30-minute discussion diving into the implications of a pivot from direct to partner-led demand generation. Register here.

• November 6-9th — Nearbound Summit 2023 — The future of GTM is Nearbound. Join us for the biggest-ever remote experience in GTM where B2B leaders across departments unite to share how they’re winning with Nearbound strategies and tactics. Register here.

One step closer to trust

Send someone the NbD. One email here, a conversation there, and a favor down the road. You build trust overtime.