Any group of people working towards a common aim needs one person who drives the project, gets participants together, makes sure there is an agenda for meetings, chases up agreed actions and keeps the group on track. The Conquest facilitator will do this.
 

The group may also need to draw in extra expertise and information and the Conquest network of contacts will assist in this.
 

Brainstorming the best ways of communicating with the target market will be a vital starting point for the Alliance, Conquest expertise in this regard will maximise the results of this process. The individual selling points and marketing strategy of each member will also be considered. These processes will help to build trust among the allies and will point the way forward to business growth through the power of group action and support.
 

Alliances will be fluid for the first 6 meetings to make sure members are confident about trust in the group. During this time members will be able to change to another group if they feel the need to do so.
 

The Alliance will expect members to attend meetings regularly and to contribute to the mutual advice and support process.
 

Members will commit to the monthly charge for a year after the first 6 trial meetings in order to promote equal in-put to the Alliance.
 

Each member's experience and expertise should be available to all during the meetings.
 

When at external networking meetings, allies should avoid sitting together as they will be able, as trust builds, to promote each other and look for opportunities and contacts for each other.
 

Referrals will always be as a result of trust and volunteered, not forced.
 

An Alliance at Level 1 will consist of a group of 5 or 6 businesses who have a common target market but differing products, services and skills.
 

Their aim will be to assist each other's business growth as above.
 

Initially all will operate on Level 1 to build trust and prepare the ground for possibly making a closer alliance at Level 2 or even Level 3.
 

Level 2 Alliances will have joint marketing mechanisms and explore the possibilities for pitching for business contacts together. These Alliances may consist of businesses in the same sector.
 

Level 3 Alliances will have a legal structure and form a limited company to pitch for business as an entity.

Many Alliances will be content to stay at Level One.
 

The allies will meet twice a month for facilitated working sessions.
 

The Conquest facilitator will bring marketing skills to the table and the first task will be to brainstorm the best ways to communicate with and pitch to the common target market.   Advice and guidance will be available from the facilitator to do this. Allies individual selling points will be brainstormed.

Jon Hillier of The Appointments Company said, two weeks after a brainstorming session with Pam Woods, "Pam has an uncanny knack of seeing through your fog and putting her finger on the key selling point of your business ideas, helping you formulate a more structured marketing plan, target your advertising more efficiently, saving you time and money while getting more sales.”

The allies will share their experience and skills and may wish to use the power of the support of the group to make positive changes in the way they do things in their business.
 

Allies will be able, in turn, to bring a business issue or opportunity to the group for brainstorming, mutual advice and support.
 

In due course, when the meetings have built sufficient knowledge and trust, allies will be able to confidently refer business to each other.
 

They may wish to have a two-sided business card with their own business details on one side and the agreed name of the alliance on the other. They will be able to say " I don't do this myself, but I have an associate who does" .

At Level 2 the Alliance may wish to have an outsourced telephone answering service to answer calls to the common number and field them to the appropriate ally. They may even wish to have a common website.
 

At Level 3 a common CRM system could be used to track contacts. They would form a limited company.
 

The collaborative marketing group Sessou have a structure that can be purchased for this.
 

Joining fee for an Alliance NOT due until 4th month after joining when value has been demonstrated: £50

Fee per month £75

This gives two meetings per month of 2 hours duration
In order for allies to assure themselves of the value of this new way of working, the first three months will be charged at £40 per month.

 

Businesses tell us their target market and whether they wish to join an alliance of 'same sector' businesses to pitch for larger contracts or an alliance of businesses with a synergy and common target market.
 

The aims for both will be to build trust for mutual referrals and potentially to pitch for contracts as a group.
 

Conquest will research potential allies and facilitate the forming of the Alliance.

Whole contract costing

Each Alliance member brings their costs to table i.e. " for my involvement it will cost £X"
Each member will be paid according to their costs and then will get an equal share of residual profit.
 

Conquest Strategic Alliances - making hopes happen
 

Conquest Business Events 27/5/ 2009