Creating Powerful Strategic Alliances.

One way you can increase your sphere of influence is by developing strategic alliances with other marketing professionals. This calls for a deeper level of networking along with a willingness to share information and resources. Why is this important? As a marketing guru, you are responsible for bringing together the best resources available to execute your organization's marketing strategy. Many of these resources are in-house, but others may be easily and readily available externally if you use some imagination and creative networking.

Corporate strategic alliances are ongoing structured business relationships between two parties. For example, companies may join together for marketing, distribution or purchasing reasons. Here are examples of some successful strategic alliances outside of the banking industry.

* FedEx has partnered with Intel by providing Intel with logistics services. It provides a warehouse and distribution services for the chips that Intel manufactures in Southeast Asia. FedEx does what it does well--using its systems to monitor inventory levels and optimal shipping times. Intel does what it does best: manufacturing top-of-the-line microchips.

* The Internet business-to-business (B2B) industry has spawned numerous strategic alliances among vendors, distributors and suppliers. They use the Internet to aggregate goods and lower costs. Primary industries such as chemicals, plastics and steel have joined together, providing excellent purchasing opportunities for manufacturing companies that source these materials.

* Computer industry companies have successfully partnered to amass sales. Dell, for example, offers a variety of computer software and accessories in addition to its traditional computer hardware line. Here it has collaborated with related companies that provide complementary products to provide one-stop shopping to its constituency.

Look for customer time-savers

Banks can benefit from the same concept. A number of banks have branches inside supermarkets, providing convenience to customers who need to bank and buy groceries during the same trip. Wells Fargo pioneered a multi-retail concept by having Kinko's and Starbucks located in or adjacent to certain branches. Bank customers can buy a decaf latte, get copies made and do their banking with relative ease.

Think about your constituency--not just what it needs, but what it wants. If your bank serves the small-business market, for example, explore which companies in your community could benefit from strategic marketing alliances. The key is to find products and services that complement your bank's strategy. Anything that creates "less work" for the customer will be highly valued. In today's 24/7 world, virtually anything that saves time will be well received and greatly appreciated.

There is a big bonus for you by doing this. You can expand your professional and personal sphere of influence. Among other things, these new relationships take you outside of the box as a bank marketer. It gives you marketing perspective from other companies that are trying to reach the same customer base. Your networking efforts take on a new dimension.

In effect, a marketing strategic alliance ultimately gives you access to a prequalified group of purchasers. The focus on distribution--access to the customer--will increasingly be a marketing function in the coming years. The cost of acquiring customers varies depending on your market place. Partnering with a company that already has access to your target clientele can be a win-win strategy. Each will benefit by marketing to the other's distribution base.

Lisa Aldisert is a management consultant, professional speaker and author specializing in strategic planning and performance management.