Collaborative Marketing: How Partnering with Local Businesses Can Boost Your Reach
A great example of collaboration among small businesses at Farm Club in Traverse City.
There’s a reason we were all assigned group projects in school; collaborating with others is powerful! Not only is it helpful for building relationships, but it challenges us to think outside the box in hopes of reaching a greater potential.
Collaborations can work the same way for your business! There are plenty of benefits of working with others, and many of them support growing your brand, making new connections, and reaching your business goals.
How Collaboration Supports Your Goals
Reaches New Potential Customers
Your collaborators will promote your partnership, which exposes your business to an entirely new audience. Their customer base can hopefully become yours, too.
Builds Trust & Credibility
Everyone loves a referral! People deeply value the opinion of people and businesses they trust, so a trusted brand vouching for your business can go a long way in building a trusting relationship right from the start.
Learn more about building customer loyalty and trust in this free webinar.
Expands Your Network
If a collaboration goes well, you are gaining a relationship that has the potential to support you for years to come. It can also open the door to other partnerships and strengthen your position in the marketplace.
Boosts Creativity
Group brainstorming often leads to more effective ideas – it’s synergy! Combining different experiences and expertise makes your team all the more powerful.
Grows Your Skills
Working with others exposes you to new marketing strategies and methods you may not have tried before! It’s a great way to grow your marketing toolkit, which can accelerate your growth.
After you create a marketing plan with your collaborators, use this free marketing tool to make sure you’re set up for success!
Ways to Collaborate
Giveaways
Offer a giveaway of products or services alongside one or more businesses to build hype! You can promote the giveaway through multiple marketing channels: email, website pop-ups, and social media. On social media, make sure you encourage interaction with the post to gain momentum, and require participants to follow the accounts of each business so you can stay in touch.
Trades
Offering your products or services in exchange for those from another business is a fun way to work together. For example, trade a flower CSA share with a CSA share from a veggie farm, and agree to post weekly unboxing videos on social media. You’ll gain attention from their followers, support a fellow business owner, and receive a different product from your own at the same time.
In-Person Events
Hosting events together or attending an event hosted by a related business is great exposure. Customers will love that they can support multiple businesses at once, and you’re more likely to attract a wider audience.
Limited Editions
Generate a new, limited edition product with your collaborator! Exclusivity is always great for driving sales and building excitement, and supports your brand's creativity.
Plan Your Next Collaboration
Not sure where to start? TLD can help map out strategic collaborations to help you reach your goals. Just get in touch to get started!