INCREASING WEBSITE TRAFFIC 101
November 13, 2019How to Increase Referrals
November 29, 2019A Quick Guide to Strategic Partnership
Effective Ways to Partner with Influencers in Your Industry
Many new business owners get so excited at the thought of starting their own profitable company online that they don’t look before they leap. They come up with what they think is a fantastic new idea and try to sell it without doing proper market research to determine demand and what customers in the niche are willing to pay. Other new business owners go to the opposite extreme and steer clear of certain top-earning niches because they think there is too much competition.
One of the best ways to put yourself far above the competition even in a crowded niche is to link yourself with key companies and influencers. In this way, you can offer all new products and services, increase your authority in your niche, and earn more income all at the same time.
The easiest ways to accomplish this are through:
- Affiliate Marketing
- Joint Venture Partnerships
- Strategic Partnerships
Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to get to know the top people and companies in your industry. There are several affiliate marketplaces that allow you to link up with top influencers, companies and products all in one location. The main marketplaces for digital products are Clickbank and JV Zoo. The best ones for tangible products are CJ.com and LinkShare. Create your links once. Then, paste them on your site and in your marketing emails. From there, those links will keep on earning for you even when you are away from your computer.
During the process of finding affiliate products to sell, take note of the top individuals and brands in your niche. Make a list of them and their websites and email addresses. Once you have a large email marketing list and are willing to be interviewed or contribute to a webinar about your niche, you can form Joint Venture (JV) Partnerships.
With JVs, you market together and split the proceeds 50/50. For example, if you and your JV partner have similarly sized mailing lists, propose mailing to each other’s list and splitting the cash. If their list is twice the size of yours, email 2 of their marketing messages instead of just one.
Strategic partnerships can be formed online or offline in a similar fashion. Partner with anyone who is not a direct competitor but sells complementary products and services. For example, if you sell wedding gowns, partner with other local merchants who can provide any of the other items commonly required for weddings, such as flowers, formal wear, limos and so on.
Another useful way to find local partners is to offer an interesting workshop or talk at your local Chamber of Commerce. They will do all the marketing and promotion for the talk. You just need to deliver an unforgettable presentation. Those who meet you in this way might just want to partner with you, or know someone who does. Online networking is great, but don’t neglect opportunities to forge relationships within the community, especially if you have a brick and mortar store.
Every business and entrepreneur are judged by the company they keep. Form relationships with the top movers and shakers in your niche and see how it can increase your profit. If you need help building your network and forming these strategic connections, visit us at www.icemediaent.com or email us at contact@icemediaent.com.