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Who does your dirty work?

Okay, maybe not ‘dirty work’ – but who helps you get stuff done? Sure – we have co-workers and employees – but what about those contractors, vendors, and freelancers that make things happen on a daily basis? How often do we give thanks to them?

Give this song by Steely Dan a listen as we see what the experts are saying this week!

Strategic Alliances: Who can get the job done?

The band Steely Dan was famous in the ’70s not only for their hit songs… but the two primary songwriters, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, developed the band to the point where THEY WERE the band – and would surround themselves with the best of the best studio musicians for recording and touring. The result? Some of the most technically proficient music of their era, fusing jazz, soul, R&B, and rock.

This strategic alliances play is a lot more common in B2B than in the world of music. In fact, MarketingProfs outlines some of the benefits and risks of strategic alliances:

Benefits:

  1. Access to new markets
  2. Shared resources and expertise
  3. Cost savings
  4. Competitive advantage

Risks:

  1. Coordination and integration challenges
  2. Sharing confidential information
  3. Dependency on partners
  4. Potential conflicts of interest

Shifting to rely more heavily on strategic alliances – whether as a business or as a band – is a big decision. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons carefully, as Becker and Fagen probably did. Do you rely on these alliances in your business? How do you find yourself somebody who can do the job?

Song Lyrics: What are you searching for?

Are you the kind of person who searches for song lyrics? This survey comes from a site called Word List Finder. It focuses on American searches for song lyrics – and it’s super interesting. (And for my fellow Canadians – they insist that we search for country lyrics more than any other genre!)

These are the most-searched song lyrics in America:

  1. Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
  2. Eagles, “Hotel California”
  3. Eminem, “Lose Yourself”
  4. Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean”
  5. Dolly Parton, “Jolene”
  6. Don McLean, “American Pie”
  7. Backstreet Boys, “I Want It That Way”
  8. Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven”
  9. Taylor Swift, “Love Story”
  10. Britney Spears, “Toxic”

And how about some lists by genre? Indie Rock:

  1. alt-J, “Breezeblocks”
  2. Mac DeMarco, “Chamber of Reflection”
  3. Phoebe Bridgers, “Motion Sickness”
  4. Violet Femmes, “Blister in the Sun”
  5. Neutral Milk Hotel, “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”

Punk:

  1. Talking Heads, “Psycho Killer”
  2. Green Day, “American Idiot”
  3. Green Day, “Basket Case”
  4. The Clash, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”
  5. The Clash, “Rock the Casbah”

Rock:

  1. Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
  2. Eagles, “Hotel California”
  3. Don McLean, “American Pie”
  4. Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven”
  5. AC/DC, “Black in Black”

Check out the article for breakdowns by other genres, too.

What about B2B? Unless you’re like me and inserting lyrical references into a weekly blog like a thousand times before, you’re probably not searching for song lyrics for work. But what are you searching for? Probably things to help you in your work: software, services, or those strategic partners.

Perhaps more importantly, what are other people searching for? And if it’s you, how are you making sure they find you?

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat