How and where to find them is another matter
(did you see How
to find joint venture marketing partners?). But what qualities will you search for in your ideal
fusion marketing partners?
Bits and pieces of advice can be
found in some of the articles linked from the page titled Joint
venturing... How others see it. Here's a list to make the
basics easier to keep in mind...
Look for a
business that...
-
Has a large customer base, or
reaches a large audience in some other way
-
Keeps in frequent contact
with his customer base, or advertises regularly
-
Treats her customers very
well
-
Has a loyal following that
trusts in the business' reputation and expertise
-
Has products or services (or
just information) that complement your own offering
-
Has a clientele that is
willing to spend money on your products or services
Or are you
looking for an individual?
- who...
A little more about the ideal fusion marketing
partner...
First of all, the ideal is
good, certainly... but may not be required! You may prefer to test the
waters, for instance, with someone whose clientele is smaller. You may
find a great match in a business that only sends out a couple of mailings a year
to its customers. ...Don't let the "ideal" stand in your way!
With that said, though, there are
good reasons to look for the ideal. (And to be delighted when you
find it!)
We'll delve further into that list
from above...
The larger, the better... if
it's targeted for your purposes. (If only partially targeted, that's okay
- but keep in mind that it's not so good a deal for you. ...You might not offer
as much in return - monetary compensation for an endorsement, for instance.)
Websites and e-zines can be
highly targeted - or not. The same goes for print advertising or direct
mail promotions. Again, a less accurate target isn't necessarily bad for
you - it just isn't as good as ideal.
But let's not overlook all the
other possible means of reaching people!... Radio shows/ads.
Newspaper columns. Billings. Theatre program printing.
Over-the-counter sales bagging. Well-publicized stunts. ...Put your
thinking cap on! Why shouldn't you team up with whoever might help
to publicize your business creatively and inexpensively?
Let's also not overlook the impact
of exclusivity... where "large" isn't necessarily the most
operative attribute of a group. "Best targeted" might be much
more important in the long run.
Advertising, in the traditional
sense, is often more a branding than a persuading force... It generally
takes people a number of times viewing the same ad before they respond to it by doing
something. One reason is that they want to know that the business is
established... and you want to know that! A repeated ad infers that
the ad - and the business - is successful. If you're attracted to a
potential fusion marketing partner by an ad... look for it in succession.
Then, in general... The more
regularly a business keeps in touch with its clientele, the more chances it has
to impress them and secure their loyalty. Then, the more chances you
might have to tap into that resource. This assumes, of course, that the
business' contacts are welcomed by its clientele...
Repetition may be good for the business,
but what's good the for customer has to be a top priority - that's what
cements customer loyalty.
A business treats customers well by
making their needs come first in all things... They ensure good customer
service. They select products and services that their target market wants
and needs. They stick to the "you" in their advertising
instead of the "me". They don't "sell" - they offer
and inform.
A business might also treat some
of it's customers especially well... In giving sales to
"preferred customers" (which could be simply repeat customers, or frequently-repeating,
or the biggest spenders). In setting up a "V.I.P. club" for
some. In hosting parties, giving bonuses, sending out birthday cards, etc.
These set-apart customers can be
excellent targets for joint venture deals... Ask your prospective fusion
marketing partners whether such opportunities exist in their businesses.
-
The ideal
fusion marketing partner... Is
a business
that has a loyal following that trusts in the business' reputation and
expertise OR...
-
An individual who
represents the voice of integrity to your target market
For a business, customer
loyalty derives from the characteristics mentioned above. It might also be
brand-related, if that applies - i.e., a reputation can be built by word of
mouth, not just via a customer's direct experience. But the bottom line is
- has loyalty been built?
Many businesses use
endorsements by "celebrities" to boost their image... hence the
"individual" option mentioned. Such an endorsement aids
in the trust extended to the business as well.
I put celebrity in quotes, though, because the person doesn't have to be famous, only
respected in some way and perceived as having integrity. And of course
you'd want a bona fide
user of your product, not just a "hired gun" - your promotion has to
be believable. "Always
highlight the benefits," seasoned JV marketer Jay Abraham stresses...
So your celeb can be
anyone whose opinion would be highly regarded
under the circumstances. ...You don't have to know who the president of a major
corporation is to be impressed that she's an avid user of a particular product
because it helps her in her business practices. Her status, and/or her
relationship to the product, lend distinction to it, even if her name and face
aren't well-known.
We all know that celebrities
can be bought... Many people, though, are willing to endorse
products or services that they actually do have experience with, and partiality
for. ...And their sincerity may have a far greater impact on potential new
customers than the "sanctioning" (presumed to be for money, even if
not) of a sports star!
This is part of the
targeting that you need to do... What would make sense for your offering?
This gives great
scope for the imagination! For a list of brainstorming ideas, see the page
titled But how to come up with a great joint venture
marketing concept? Suffice
it to say... Keep open to all the possibilities around you.
...Sell a golf
seminar video? - Team up with golf-related websites, or with sellers of golf
tees. With golf pros and course clubhouses. With a famous golf
resort. With manufacturers of golf clothing and shoes. With high
school and college golf instructors. With vendors of Father's Day
gifts. With well-known female golf pros. With photographers
who videotape golfers' swings for them to review. With sellers of golfing
books. With golf course realtors. ...Etcetera etcetera etcetera! In
fact, what about with sellers of other, complementary golf seminar
videos?...
Many people are
surprised to learn that very successful joint ventures are engaged in by people
whose businesses compete with each other. Their businesses may
compete, but the individual products that they promote for each other
don't. ...And they certainly know that cross-promotions are reaching
super-targeted customers!
This is likely to
mean for you, "Go where the money is"... Look for JV partners
whose customer base is proven to spend the right kind of money on the
kind of product or service. Sometimes this isn't immediately
apparent... To illustrate: "Don't try to sell furniture to
college students (sell it to their parents). Don't try to sell computers
to secretaries (approach the company that hires them)."
- Mike Enlow
...When everything
matches up - get ready to make lots more sales!
When is 1 + 1
greater than 2, or 1 + 1 + 1 greater than 3? - When the numbers are
participants in fusion marketing! The more you fuse, the more you win...
Look around for partners in success.
Gordon
Pioneering - Copyright 2-2001
For
those serious about JV marketing...
REPRINTING
THIS ARTICLE:
You are very
welcome to reprint this particular chapter as an article, in its entirety, including hyperlinks,
if you'll also put this resource box at the end:
=======================================
Sherry Gordon is the learn-it-and-pass-it-on creator of "The
Affiliate Marketing Primer", at http://www.AffiliatePrimer.com/
- and the website http://www.ThinkJointVenture.com/...
If you're interested in learning what has percolated up to the top in her
webmarketing tactics, sign up for her free 6-day e-seminar called
"Top Web Business/Success Builders" here - mailto:topwebcourse@getresponse.com
=======================================
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you'd like to receive the article via autoresponder, send a blank message to:
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thanks for your interest!
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