Partnership Marketing – Perfect to Rebuild Your Business

Intro by Skip Cohen 

Nicole Begley’s archives are loaded with excellent content to help you raise the bar not only on your skillset but in brand awareness and marketing. While the post went back years ago, partnership marketing is a perfect direction to take RIGHT NOW!

Everyone’s business has suffered as a result of the pandemic. And as many of you struggle to think through how to rebuild, your biggest fault is thinking you need to do it alone. Yet, you’re surrounded by other non-competing businesses who are chasing the same target audience and have experienced the same drop in sales as you.

Stop thinking you’re alone, and while Nicole’s best known for her pet photography, what she shared so long ago in this post applies to virtually EVERY business!

By Nicole Begley

Partnership Marketing is another incredibly effective marketing tool.  In order to do this effectively, you MUST determine who your target market is, as well as which other businesses they frequent.  This does not have to be other dog-related businesses, maybe it is a local coffee shop in which people bring their dog, a local hair salon or specialty store, etc.

Approach the business from the standpoint of how you can help them, never what they can do for you.  Let them know that you share a target demographic and you would love to share their business with your clients.  As with charitable marketing, each partnership is going to look different due to the unique needs of each business.

A few ideas for partnership marketing:

1. Create a contest at the business to get their clients excited about your services.
2. Offer special opportunities to their clients for your business and special opportunities to your clients for their business.  This does not have to be a discount, instead, you can offer a value-added bonus, such as a complimentary mini-album with any session booked during a specific time period.
3. Create complimentary artwork for their business with your images.  Displays are most successful when the business displaying your work is a raving fan, so offer the employees a complimentary mini-session and 8×10.  The goal of those sessions is for those employees to fall in love with your services and sing your praises to those that inquire about the artwork.
4. Hold a special raffle in the store for a complimentary session.  Simply have clients enter the contest by placing their name and email address in a bowl and picking a winner at the end of the month.  Viola, a whole bunch of new leads to add to your email marketing program.
5. Set up a day of mini-sessions in partnership with the store, which can be marketed to their client base.

Nicole’s ideas apply to every business and the pandemic doesn’t have to limit your activity. Not comfortable indoors? Then set up an outdoor event in a local park. And you can utilize each partner’s Internet space, as well as share the cost of a direct mail piece, and Marathon’s there each step of the way to help.

Hunkering down is about your health – not your business. Now is the time to look for those strategic partners to help you rebuild!