5 secrets to partnership success
I had the most wonderful campus visit in November. Two members of a university leadership team invited me to speak with a group of stakeholders about social intelligence and Campus Sonar. The visit stood out to me because they followed some best practices to vetting and building a relationship with an expert partner. Here’s how to adopt their approach.
Share specific strategic goals well in advance.
Instead of “build our brand” their goals looked like this:
- Enhance awareness of <university> in <location> with <target audiences> in conjunction with <new initiative> and <corporate partner>
- Improve <university> reputation for <attribute> among <target audience>
- Elevate <university> reputation amongst employers seeking to <outcome> and foundations seeking to fund <topic> initiatives
Because the group provided goals more than two weeks in advance, my team prepared initial social intelligence insights unique to the university. During the meeting, we talked about how they compare to national benchmarks, unpacked surprises, and dove into specific questions.
Get the right people in the room.
In addition to two vice presidents, an AVP and two executive directors attended (and contributed to) the meeting. I knew in advance who would be there, so I could anticipate their needs and speak directly to them. When we officially start to work together, many of our points of contact will already be familiar with the initiative.
Invite internal collaborators to the table early.
I think this is the first time in seven years senior leaders invited a representative from athletics to an initial meeting focused on brand and reputation. While many universities recognize the impact of athletics on brand awareness, I’ve rarely witnessed a collaborative approach “in the room.” One of the senior leaders present oversaw university innovation initiatives (one of my favorite roles to work with). If you don’t know what collaborators would benefit from being included, ask who is most often involved in efforts with similar goals.
Schedule a substantial meeting.
This group scheduled 90 minutes. It signaled to me they were expecting a learning experience and a strategic discussion rather than a sales pitch or “demo.” Not only did it demonstrate respect, it allowed for a customized discussion about their goals, participation from everybody in the room, ample time for “what if” and “could we” questions, and clear next steps. We accomplished in one 90 minute conversation what often takes three or four 30-45 minute meetings (over 1-2 months). Since everyone was prepared and aligned on what we wanted, this was more efficient.
Commit to meeting in person, if you can.
It’s not always possible, but it makes conversations more memorable. In this instance, I was already in the area for a conference so we timed the meeting when I would be in town.
My wish for 2025 is to have more conversations like this that launch fruitful partnerships to better serve higher ed audiences and sustain institutions. If you would benefit from Campus Sonar’s expertise, please reach out. I’m planning to be in Austin, San Diego, New Orleans, and San Francisco during the first half of 2025—give me a shout if you’d like some face time.