Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery (NOT related to Oscar Wilde!)

Stratos Cloud Alliance’s partner model, no experience required.

Wow. As I was catching up on partner channel news I was shocked at what I was reading. My first thought – was our marketing team cloned? When I reached out to inquire, imagine my utter surprise to discover our marketing team celebrating. Celebrating!

That immediately spiked my frustration. “Why are you all so happy”, I asked? “This is not good!” Our CMO laughed and said, “Yep, that was my first reaction too. Then one of the marketing team reminded me of the proverb: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

While that is a catchy phrase, I was still frustrated so I took it out on my friend Google as I went in search and pounded out on my keyboard to learn more about why our marketing team was so darn happy. Here’s what I found: A proverb is a short, common saying or phrase. These common sayings are language tools that particularly give advice or share a universal truth, or impart wisdom… Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery is a proverb that means trying do what someone else does, own what someone else owns, or think like someone else thinks is a compliment to that person. However, the expression imitation is the sincerest form of flattery is often used when someone copies another but does not acknowledge that fact. One may mimic or attempt to imitate another’s mannerisms, gestures, facial expressions, buying habits, business practices, or originality of thinking. While such emulation and mimicking may stem from sincere admiration, the imitator may also harbor unconscious envy. The term copycat is often used for imitators who become irritating. Children and toddlers often mimic their role models as a way to learn acceptable behavior; adults who mimic their role models in obvious ways are regarded with suspicion. * Grammarist.com 

So back to marketing I went. Our CMO and I had a lengthy discussion, and in the end, I was laughing too. Buyer beware is another proverb that came to mind.

We talked about “marketing”. And I guess there is some truth to Oscar Wilde’s statement that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, as successful brands frequently find their competitors trying to piggy-back off that success by copying elements of their packaging, labelling, and branding.  Our CMO reminded me of “Paul”.  Remember back in 2016, the “can you hear me now” Verizon guy?  We didn’t really know his name back then, but that’s Paul Marcarelli.  In 2016, after almost a decade, he showed up wearing black and yellow.  “Hey, I’m Paul. And I used to ask if you could hear me now, with Verizon,” he said in a commercial. “Not anymore. I’m with Sprint now.”  ** Paul Switched Commercial

I don’t know a single mobile user that hasn’t experienced frustration with their phone service. And, while technology has continued to advance and poor cellular service is something we encounter less and less, our cell phone dropping a call and a business’s mission-critical application failing are not even remotely the same. If a mission-critical business application experiences even brief downtime, the negative consequences are likely to be financial.

Not to age us, but our CMO and I have spent our professional careers helping businesses, both Microsoft business applications customers, and partners, realize the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics. She explained why the marketing team was taking a moment to celebrate. She adapted the story of David and Goliath to modern times. Within the Microsoft partner channel, Stratos Cloud Alliance provides a level of experience and insight that is unparalleled in the Microsoft CSP Indirect Provider ecosystem. How? The Stratos Cloud Alliance is unlike any other Microsoft Indirect CSP Provider in the marketplace – with over 33 years’ experience we specialize in Dynamics 365. We are the best at what we do because we understand our partners in a way that other distributor’s do not. An experienced Microsoft CSP Provider like Stratos Cloud Alliance can support, and extend, the value-added services and solutions our partners can provide to their customers. See our infographic for a quick read on why we are different.

SCA’s easy, no experience necessary approach allows partners across the spectrum to start selling Microsoft Dynamics 365, confidently, within days. Small and mid-sized business customers are seeking partners who can connect their entire business in the Cloud. If you want to build a profitable cloud business, Stratos Cloud Alliance offers unmatched services to get you there immediately.

Your growth is tied to the Indirect Provider that you choose – and not all Indirect Providers are equal. Whether you are new to the Microsoft CSP program, are an Indirect Reseller already engaged in the program, or are a Direct CSP evaluating a shift to the indirect model, we provide comprehensive end-to-end cloud services and support, across Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365. Grab our Think Once. Think Twice. ebook.  A guide to choosing a revenue boosting Microsoft Indirect Cloud Solution Provider.

Stratos Cloud Alliance is an Indirect Provider that thoroughly understands Dynamics 365 and provides superior end-to-end enablement programs and a robust partner services catalog to power your Cloud success. We have over 33 years’ experience selling, deploying, and supporting over 12,000 customers run their mission-critical business systems – successfully – with Microsoft business applications.  Imitation can’t replicate experience.  And, bigger is not always better. Your customer’s ERP is not where you want to take a risk. Offer more to your customers, minimize risk, and grow your business with SCA as your co-pilot.

Wanted: Microsoft Solution Partners with a sense of humor and a love of proverbs, who are looking for recurring, predictable revenue to power their cloud business growth. No experience necessary. info@stratoscloudalliance.com