Working as part of a ‘Strategic Alliance’ has always been a great way for small businesses to get extra income. The trouble is that when you’re already busy on your own behalf, looking for partners to work with is just another thing you don’t seem to get around to!
One of the problems faced by many small business owners is the sense of isolation and, if you’re feeling a bit nervous about the future in today’s climate, (let’s be honest, who isn’t?) then perhaps the time has come for you to work with another business owner, or at least to do some joint promotions. Some of the advantages of this approach could include:- Sharing the workload or cost of promotion
- Having someone to exchange ideas with
- Being able to tackle projects that are too big for one person
- Increasing the number of people you have to market to
- Having an accountability ‘buddy’ (this was an unexpected bonus for me!)
How could you find a Strategic Alliance for your business? Start by going through your list of contacts, or business card file and ask yourself these questions:
- Who do you know who shares your target market, but doesn’t directly compete with you?
- Do you get on well enough with them to work together?
- Do they have complementary strengths or skills to you?
- What shared areas of interest or expertise do you have?
Have you worked with a Strategic Partner? What results did you experience?
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