How Do Collaborations Grow Your Business?

Many people who are just starting a business tend to think of it as solo work.  After all, you’re an entrepreneur, right?  Contrary to this belief, building and growing your business is absolutely a team effort!  Networking has been around since the dawn of time, and for good reason!  You need other people to help spread your message and generate interest in what you do.  If you’ve been avoiding networking and collaborations, today is the day to break out of your box and do something different.  Let’s talk about why collaborations are so important, how they help you to grow your business, and some simple ways that you can partner up with other like-minded businesses so that you both profit!

One of the biggest benefits to collaborating is the visibility that you will gain.  Think about it!  You have an audience, sure, but your collaborating partner has an audience, too; one that you haven’t yet been exposed to.  In a relatively short amount of time, you have gained access to an entirely new audience who may otherwise never have learned about you or what you do.  If you pick your partner well, this should be an audience chock full of individuals who are already showing interest in what you do.  A chiropractor and a massage therapist, for example, are both targeting an audience looking for optimal wellness, but they aren’t in direct competition with one another because they both offer an entirely different service.   

Partnering up can also be beneficial by breathing new energy and life into your business.  When we put our heads together with another business owner, creativity flows, new ideas abound, and we’re offered a fresh perspective on things we may previously have only seen one way.  There’s really no limit to what you can build or what new directions you may find yourself led in. 

So, how do you pick who you should be collaborating with?  Here is some information that you will definitely want to think about.  Consider the idea we just talked about of a shared audience.  You want to find another business that compliments yours without being direct competition.  What industries or professions are similar to yours without crossing over into the realm of potential rivalry?  An orthodontist might partner with a general dentist, a pet groomer with a dog walker, a will and trust attorney with a funeral home, a salon owner with a wedding planner, or a yoga studio with a vegan food truck.  Many complimentary coaches may choose to partner, too.  A parenting coach, for example, might collaborate with a children’s coach!  This can feel like sticky territory, but it doesn’t have to.  If you have the mindset that you can’t collaborate with anybody who does similar work as you, you are robbing yourself of some potentially awesome partnerships!  Remember that there’s always enough to go around and that, as long as your offerings are different enough and your audience is the same, you’re on the right track.  Whoever you choose, just ensure that you both offer value to the other person’s audience. 

Now that you’ve chosen your collaboration partner, what do you do?  The possibilities are literally limitless.  You could start small, cross promoting one another on social media or referring clients back and forth.  Maybe you collaborate on a giveaway or contest or you offer each other’s clients significant discounts on your products or services.  Perhaps you are a guest blogger (this is also really good for your website SEO) or a guest on your collaboration partner’s podcast.  Maybe you launch a pop-up shop or you host a live event where you both invite your audience members to join in on the fun…a wine and wellness mixer, anyone?  Plan a social media takeover if you’re looking to gain new followers!  A friend of mine did that and gained almost 500 followers in one event!  That’s the exception and not the rule…it likely won’t happen that quickly, but it can and it’s 100% organic marketing!  There really is no end to the cool ideas that you can come up with when you put your minds together.  Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it aligns with your goals.  Are you trying to gain new clients, get new referral sources, maximize your social media presence, or something else entirely? 

Another bit of advice?  Don’t forget about your existing clients!  Yes, I said it!  You can collaborate with your own clients.  In fact, what better way to show them that you are invested in them?  Does your client offer a service or product that you believe in or that you believe your audience would benefit from?  Don’t be afraid to ask them if they’re interested.  They’ll likely be flattered and it can only help to build the rapport between you.  Plus, you already know that they appreciate what you do or they probably wouldn’t be working with you, right?   

Are you still feeling a bit hesitant about taking the plunge into networking and collaboration?   I’m here to help you get through whatever is holding you back so that you can move forward with confidence.  Stop by my website, DM me on IG or Facebook or drop a line in the comments section of my YouTube channel and let’s connect!  I’m looking forward to seeing how I can support you.  Additionally, you can download my free guide, “5 Free or Low-Cost Ways to Gain New Clients Every Week”  to get yourself kickstarted to being the best entrepreneur you can possibly be!

💥 You really can create social media content with ease!
Grab my free video and guide to show you how you can create 90 days worth of social media content in only 30 minutes.