Like most New Englanders, we've turned on our heat for the season, and with it, the dread of spiking energy bills. We've also negotiated the temperature of the thermostat to balance family harmony while minimizing ice dams forming around our lips!

While "being green" has come easily to our household, admittedly, we've not taken on anything too remarkable. After all, how hard is it to recycle or turn the lights off when we're not in a room? But making a decision like changing out the oil tank for gas heat requires more thought and calculation.

While we could rationalize all day that gas is a cleaner, more efficient, less costly alternative to the big oil truck filling the tank (and siphoning away our cash), the perceived hassle of switching kept the decision at bay.

But then, a more powerful force than complacency stepped in. Enter the local HVAC guys who made a compelling case, including significant energy rebates and tax credits, substantial discounts for a new furnace and installation, and removing the existing oil tank. Our objections quashed, we decided to make the switch. Clearly, it's a good time to be in the HVAC business.

Like many a business partner enticed to switch brand alliances by better technology, we succumbed to the better technology only when all of our objections and associated hidden costs were satisfactorily addressed.

While it's not easy, many smaller, lesser-known, technology providers have enticed partners to give their solution a go. When you ask those partners what it was that led them to change, it's rarely just about the margin, the brand, or the market. It tends to be a combination of "game changers" that push partners over the edge to make the switch. Here are a few things that come to mind:

Table Stakes	Game Changers
Competitive, or even slightly better, technology	Technology that challenges the norm, delivered better, faster, or cheaper
Comparable margins	Rich margins, including recognition for value and influence (vs. what have you sold for me lately?)
Favorable, established brand	"Buzz" brand (don't miss out!)
Established and growing market	Emerging (and recognized) new market
Services attach opportunity	New services and skills opportunities- particularly professional services and consulting
Technical and sales training	Low/no cost on-boarding that reduces time to market
Established operations infrastructure	Nimble operations excellence
Transaction-based revenue	Recurring revenue opportunity

Like switching from oil to gas, it's seldom one thing that pushes a prospective partner to consider taking on a new brand. Instead, it's the combination of two or more game changers that add up to a more compelling business proposition. So, take the time to figure out your game changers. The more you can deliver, the stronger the odds in your favor.

And, now, feeling ever smug, green, and ahead of the curve, we may even allow ourselves to shed our hats and mittens inside the house.