Posted with permission from Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro (See his bio box at the end of this post)
Developing Alliance Partner Relationships:
Anytime you partner with another person, it is an informal joint venture or an alliance partnership. There are a lot of reasons to partner with other people in the business community.
Reasons to Joint Venture:
• Pass referrals
• Cross-promotion
• Share resources
• Make introductions
• Encourage people
Approaching someone for a joint venture is easy. Networking is a great way to identify alliance partners. People who network are looking for people to work with. They want people they connect with and have something in common with.
The key is not to blow it out of proportion. When asking someone if they want to joint venture, don’t use the words ”joint venture”. It sounds too intimidating. It sounds like a lot of work.
Instead, ask people if they want to “partner”. Here’s a quick script you can use: “I’m looking for people to partner with. Would you like to get together and talk about ways we can help each other?” It’s low key and non-committal.
What are some of the ways you have partnered with others in the past?
Long-Term Relationships:
The key to building a successful long-term joint venture relationships is to take baby steps. Don’t try to create an elaborate plan on how to work together.
Set a goal to develop 3-5 alliance partner relationships.
Life happens. Some will work. Others will fall through.
Once you have an initial meeting, decide how often you want to chat. Monthly may be often enough. Weekly can be helpful if you set a short term goal for something you want to
accomplish.
Value your time. Keep your calls to about a half hour or less. Stay focused and on task. Decide the primary purpose for working together.
Make a list of 5 people you can partner with.
What value can you offer them?
Partnership Opportunities:
Pass referrals – This is one of the simplest relationships to set up. Look for referral sources. Who has your customer? Look for complementary businesses who work with similar
customers as you do. Exchange referrals if possible. If you are unable to provide them referrals, then do something else to create value for your partner.
Eric Lofholm calls this a reciprocal referral relationship.
Cross-promotion – This can involve develop marketing materials, but it can also involve sending email messages to your list of contacts. Ask your partner for business cards and
marketing collateral to hand out.
Share resources – We live in a knowledge based economy. Information is at a premium. Ask what people need and then send them information that will help.
You have information at your fingertips. Consolidate that information. Keep it handy.
Make introductions – Become a connector of people. When you meet someone new, think about who you can introduce them to. Look for people who would fit together well. Connect with people through social networks and look for ways to help them.
In his famous book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell referred to super connectors.
The average person knows about 250 people. A super connector knows a lot of people. Some may know upwards of 10,000 people or more.
Encourage People - Life is challenging at times. Pick up the phone and share an encouraging word with someone. Send a greeting card just to say hello. Send an email with an
inspirational quote.
I hope you enjoyed this information.
Rick S. Cooper, MBA, is The Attraction Marketing Expert. He works with entrepreneurs who want to grow their business. He helps them make more money and spend less time doing it. He specializes in working with Coaches, Speakers and Experts. Receive The 7 Steps to Attract your Ideal Clients (complimentary audio program) by visiting http://www.AttractClientsAudio.com
