Attract and Retain Customers with Partner Marketing

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Partner marketing is really another way of saying, proactively teaming up or partnering with other small businesses to increase sales.

Whilst it is not a new concept, it is generally conducted by many small businesses by accident.  They use it as short term promotional offer versus it being proactively planned and implemented.

Although there are affiliate programs and referral programs that can assist with building partnerships, they often seem a little passive in their approach. Partner marketing is more assertive, like cross selling your own products or services only with other small businesses products or services.

For partner marketing to work you need:

• All partners knowing their customers and their needs very well and having a focus on strengthening their key customer relationships
• Be willing to share ideas
• A plan in place so everyone knows what is expected
• To take it slowly if you have not tried this before
• The partners to have a similar customer profile
• To be very familiar with the other partner’s products or service
• Have tracking measures in place
• To decide and agree on any commissions and promotional costs if applicable
• To be proactive with your partners
• To have trust in each of your partners

Tips on how to start:

• Look at your own database and see if there are any obvious opportunities with other businesses
• Go through your network details and contact other businesses that could be a fit
• If you are a retailer in a local area contact other retailers
• If you have an online business, contact others that you know and trust who service the same type of customers
• Put together a list of reasons why you believe your businesses could work effectively together and schedule a meeting, phone call etc.

If you partner with other businesses on a constant basis please share your tips and advice.