RESOURCES

Finding the right strategic partner should take a significant amount of time and consideration. You want to make sure your brand is in good hands and you’re adding a strong roster of expertise to your existing team. Here we share 6 questions to ask yourself during the process.

Does the prospective partner have empathy? 

This a very important quality to consider in a partner. While technology is useful and important, it can’t understand a brand’s pain points on a human level. This is likely a reason you’re looking for a managed services partner instead of an automated solution. 

Human teams can also better understand budget concerns and constraints. By identifying this quality upfront, brands can avoid potential challenges and gather an idea of how a team operates.

Do members of this team have experience across Amazon’s entire ecosystem? 

Amazon’s ecosystem involves many moving parts. To achieve success brands should leverage expertise across all facets of the platform. For example, teams should be well-versed in tech, creative, content, strategy, and advertising. 

Addressing experience levels and span of expertise is pivotal in the decision-making process. The goal is usually to hire experts that can drive a brand’s presence to a new level. When choosing a partner, brands should be confident there won't be gaps left to fill.

How do strategists overcome technical difficulties? 

As we mentioned, technology is a crucial part of a brand’s strategy on Amazon. It’s important for your strategic partner to be able to identify and handle technical issues as they arise. 

Having members of this team dedicated to finding issues and resolving them will make a difference in your brand’s success.  

This question helps paint the picture of what's going on behind the scenes. It also hints at how prepared the team is to handle challenges that could become setbacks.

How accessible is this strategic partner? 

During initial conversations, establish a clear understanding of accessibility and as-needed communication. Discuss expectations and understand how often, how, and when the partner can be reached. 

Based on this, brands should be able to determine whether this is a fit. The team's answer will also shed light on how committed they are to synergy with your specific brand’s goals and objectives.

How does this strategic partner communicate wins and losses? 

Diving deeper into accessibility, be sure to address how the team shares results, whether they be positive or negative. Understand the format and timeline in which reporting will be sent to your brand’s point of contact, as well as how transparent they are about where the program is succeeding and where it can be adapted to drive better results. 

Discussing this before entering an agreement will allow brands to decide whether reporting capabilities and transparency meet your brand’s expectations. This also sets a precedent for how to handle meaningful conversations and issues that may arise. 

Is this team willing and able to provide innovative strategy recommendations? 

In relation to the above, determine whether this team will be proactive or reactive. Find out if they test new strategies, technologies, and platform capabilities regularly. A strong strategic partner should help clients participate in an array of testing, including the use of the latest betas offered by Amazon. 

Gauging the team’s stance on this will help solidify a brand’s decision. There should be few instances in which a brand needs to reach out and ask to try something new. Your strategic partner should act as a resource and educator throughout the partnership.

Take the time to ask yourself and potential partners meaningful questions. This extra layer of thought and discussion will only help your brand make the right decision. 

If your brand could use the support of a strategic partner, schedule a free consultation. And, as always, we’re here to answer any questions.