This document discusses using a "pirate parallel" to find new value in sales and retention for the BBB. It outlines six steps to thinking like a pirate: 1) take inventory of existing resources, 2) sharpen reaction time, 3) recognize that size doesn't matter, 4) leverage the trusted BBB name, 5) raise the right "flag" to appeal to customers, and 6) engage others to promote your offerings. The document also discusses cross-promotion between BBB programs and partners as a way to expand brand awareness and market share. Key treasures are identified as people, information, expertise, businesses, and the BBB brand.

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National Partner Program
Elizabeth Holtan
eholtan@council.bbb.org

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Today’s Goal
Draw a new parallel
to expand lines of thinking
in order to find hidden value
for sales and retention.

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The Pirate Parallel
• Independent third parties
• Fill a marketplace need when capitalism expands into
uncharted territory
• Swift and nimble in response to government action
• Created and strictly upheld self-regulated sets of
standards
• Relied on a powerful name and reputation
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

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Thinking Like a Pirate
Start
Charting the Map
X Marks the Spot
●
The Treasure
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Thinking Like a Pirate
Pirate (noun)
Middle English:
from Latin pirata,
from Greek peiratēs,
from peirein “to attempt”
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

8. 1. Take inventory before action.
• What do you already have in your sales stock?
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– Advantages of BBB Accreditation
– Programs and services
• Charity review
• Arbitration
• Ad review
• BBB Smart Investing
• BBB Military Line
• Other localized programs
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

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2. Sharpen reaction time.
• Pirates used shrewd, nimble movements and the
element of surprise to win.
• Personally: Knowing tools and resources well
will help increase successful, quick use.
– Post visible reminders
• Organizationally: Watch the horizon for new
opportunities; quickly respond to meet needs.
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

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3. Size doesn’t matter.
• Innovation: how small pirate crews outsmart large ships
• Example: Nintendo vs. Sony and Microsoft
– Smaller company and market share competing head-on and
failing against better-sourced rivals
– Could not win “arms race” of processing power, sophisticated
technology
– Opened new avenue of attack based on niche idea
– Gained access to new customer base
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

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4. Use the name.
• “Nobody would surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley.”
• Merchant crews often surrendered without a fight the
moment they saw Blackbeard's flag.
• Our name precedes us:
BBB means trust.
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

12. • Which flag is the
target flying?
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5. Raise the right flag.
Leadership
BBB
Information
Networking
Trust
Awareness
Community
service
Corporate
philanthropy
News
Education
Recognition
• Which flag should
you raise?
I. Thinking Like a Pirate

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6: Let others talk for you.
• Valuable products and services can speak for
themselves.
– 90 percent of consumers trust recommendations from
people they know.1
• Engage other publics to speak on your behalf.
– Board members, ABs, consumers, program and
service users, thought leaders, government officials
– Explore alternate centers of influence
I. Thinking Like a Pirate 1According to a 2009 Nielson study.

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Charting the Map

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1. Map your own path.
• How do I touch businesses?
• How does my office touch businesses?
• How does BBB touch businesses?
II. Charting the Map

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2. Follow the clues.
• "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on
Treasure Island.”
― Walt Disney
II. Charting the Map

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X Marks the Spot
Cross-Promotion

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Cross-Promotion
A set of activities that are designed
to help a company sell two or more
different products, or to help companies
sell their products or services together.
III. X Marks the Spot

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Why it Can Work
• Increases market share
• Expands brand awareness
• Enhances credibility
• Offers different resources
• Diversifies portfolio
• Sum of parts is greater
III. X Marks the Spot

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BBB Examples
• Ferrero
– National Partner Program  Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative
• Council of American Survey Research Organizations
– EU Safe Harbor  National Partner Program
• National Pest Management Association
– National Partner Program  AB
• McGraw Hill
– BBB Military Line  AB
• Maserati
– BBB AUTO LINE  National Partner Program
• Building Performance Institute
– BBB microsite sponsor  National Partner Program
• Quarles & Brady LLP
– AB  National Partner
III. X Marks the Spot

21. A concentration of riches, often one which is
considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered.
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1. The Treasure
• The biggest assets we have are:
– People
– Information
– Expertise
– Businesses
– Brand
• What forms do these treasures take?
IV. The Treasure

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2. Keep hunting.
• Reexamine value regularly every 3-6 months.
• Add Google Alerts with keywords to help search.
• Hidden treasure is always there, and the tides
are constantly changing.

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3. Keep an eye on the horizon.
• Sharp eyes and ears help spot new value
• Listen and watch to business and industry needs
• Survey key publics
• Subscribe to internal, business, industry, and
government newsletters

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Key Takeaways
1. Reexamine and review existing sales value.
2. Chart new value by exploring “hidden” BBB
brand channels.
3. Treasure can be anywhere.

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The Goods
• Newsletters
– FTC: https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected
– SmartBrief: http://www.smartbrief.com
• Visualization
– https://bubbl.us/: Mind mapping site
• Pirate Reading
– The Secrets of Cross-Promotion. Inc., 2014.
– Pirate Copy: What managers can learn from Somali pirates. The Economist, 2010.
– The Pirate Organization: Lessons from the Fringes of Capitalism. Harvard Business Review Press, 2013.
• National Partner Program Intranet FAQ Page
• National Partner Program microsite

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Contact
Elizabeth Holtan
eholtan@council.bbb.org
(703) 247-9377