I recently re-read this great article about how many marketers are moving into partnerships with product makers so that they own more equity in the product and so that they own more of the design and development stages as well. This is interesting, because it’s the opposite of showing up for work as a marketer for a company. Instead of pushing Coke or Fritos or whatever, you’re making a deal with John’s Original Lime Rickey and building it into something you can sell better. It’s what my friend, Tim Hayden and I called during a recent discussion “having some of my own ponies in the race.”
Not everyone will go that route. It’s tricky. It requires one to be an investor. It requires a sense that the marketplace will support your product and it requires a lot of thought into the ways it differs to work for a company versus be part of the ownership of a product (or service).
If you do think that way, I think the way to go is with local and/or small businesses on the one hand, and with huge outsourcing and manufacturing teams on the other. For instance, if I know someone who makes an amazing premium cupcake, I just have to figure out a way to dropship it safely, and I could really add to that person’s bottom line. If I could partner with a Chinese manufacturing company, I could create some kind of product that appeals to the kinds of people I’ve built my community around. Either way, I wouldn’t be just selling someone else’s product. I’d be partnered, and that would include shouldering more of the burden, but also reaping more of the rewards.
There’s more on this in this thread at Third Tribe Marketing (membership required). We go on to talk about the evolution and some ideas and some pitfalls.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
