2013 Study Shares CEOs Key Marketing Insight And How You Profit Enormously

Patrick McFadden

I recently read a 2013 study that conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,709 CEOs around the globe, where these leaders confirmed that our new connected economy is changing how people interact. In fact, in this study,   nearly 70 percent of these CEOs shared their key insight into now aiming to develop strategic partnerships, because this makes for higher business value .

The concept of developing strategic partnerships or “ fusion marketing ” is not new. It just happen that CEOs are realizing more than ever that developing strategic partnerships benefits their company to reach new audiences and new wallets   — higher business value.

Traditional examples could be the independent auto care shop being paid to place Napa logos around their garage or the local hardware store receiving ad dollars from American Standard for outdoor media signs mentioning that they are an “authorized American Standard distributor.”

What does this mean for your business? How can this benefit you?

Partnerships are one of the most underused, inexpensive, and effective methods of marketing and it doesn’t have to be complex. You benefit because now armed with this knowledge you can start positioning your midsize or small business to partner with each other or even large businesses, knowing this is what CEOs are looking for and want. Usually a smaller company can help meet the need for speed, responsiveness, and attention that challenge some larger companies.

Here are some important rules of thumb to go by when looking to strategically partner with other businesses:

  • Have similar target markets.
  • Have similar business goals.
  • Have similar prospects.
  • Have similar ambitions and values.
  • Make sure the partnership offers the opportunity to market to an audience that’s interested in what you have to offer and will purchase from you.
  • Don’t make it complex.

In the same way that CEOs realize that strategic partnerships make for higher business value. You must understand the same and recognize that it can help reach you new audiences and new wallets as well. Nobody loses when it’s win-win.

Question: What do you think? Do you already have partnerships?

P.S. In a later post I will go over the different strategies for developing strategic partnerships.

Forget “Perfect Workspaces.” Customers Want Perfect Installation Days — Here’s What Happened When One Furniture Installation Company Got That Right

By Patrick McFadden • March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.

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