Joint Venture Your Way to Extraordinary Sales!

You know what makes me really happy? Drinking a Starbucks latte while doing my grocery shopping at Safeway. Getting my Godiva fix at Barnes & Noble. Cheap thrills, I know!

Ever wonder why McDonald's is inside many WalMart stores? Or why you can buy the board game, Cranium, inside most Starbucks locations?

These are not just lucky coincidences. They are very well-planned, structured, and negotiated marketing strategies. They are implemented by companies that get creative with their marketing by focusing it around who their ideal customer is, where they spend their time, and what they do.

These kinds of joint ventures, or distribution agreements, deliver convenience to the customer while generating profits for both the company that manufacturers the product as well as the one that distributes it. It is a win-win-win.

Joint ventures are likely one of the most profitable ways for you to invest your marketing time. If you can identify ways to team with someone who already has the attention and respect of your target market, you will multiply the results you get from your marketing campaigns.

Think about it - what could be better than someone who already has the respect of your ideal clients telling them all about you and what great work you do?

That is all a joint venture really is, afterall. One person or company putting their seal of approval on another. In simple terms, they are saying "This guy is okay. You can trust him. I have seen his stuff, and he knows what he is talking about."

Smart business owners take the time to identify who else has contact with their target market and approach those people to ask if they would recommend them to their clients.

Some arrangements might involve a referral fee. Others might just be reciprocal agreements ? you send me people, I will send you people.

That is why your printer might be able to recommend a good graphic designer, your pediatrician can recommend a nutritionist that specializes in working with kids, and your web hosting company can recommend a web designer or two. They have developed relationships with other professionals with a natural crossover with the service they provide.

Perhaps they met at a networking function, stumbled across each other during the regular course of work, or took a more proactive role to seek out joint ventures. It does not matter how it gets done ? just that it does get done.

So, how can you get started? It is easy. Just sit down and really take some time to think about your ideal clients. What are they like? What kind of business are they in? What kind of life do they lead? Where do they live? What do they read? What organizations do they belong to? What do they do during work hours and off-hours? Where do they spend their time?

Once you have a clear understanding of them, ask yourself ? based on what I know about my clients, who might already have a trusted relationship with a group of them?

Some common online examples are ezine editors who have a subscriber base of your ideal clients, other companies who have a client base of your ideal clients, or discussion group owners who have a member list made up of your ideal clients.

In the offline world, you might approach associations whose members are your ideal clients, other businesses who sell complimentary products/service to their client base which consists of your ideal clients, or print publications whose subscribers are your ideal clients.

Once you have identified some potential joint venture partners, just contact them with an offer. Decide ahead of time if you are going to offer a financial incentive or simply reciprocity.

The referral mechanism for reciprocity could be as simple as displaying one another's business cards, adding the other organization's logo to your materials, or sending out an endorsement of them to your clients and having them do the same.

The opportunities are endless once you begin to think in the right terms. So, take some time this week to really understand your ideal clients. Who are they, what do they want, and how can you best deliver it to them in a way that is convenient for them and makes money for you as well as your joint venture partner?

About The Author

Kimberly Stevens is the author of the ebook series, *The Profitable Business Owner: A Step-by-Step System for Starting & Running a Successful Service Business*. Download Sample Chapters & get her free MiniCourse, *The 10 Most Common Mistakes Business Owners Make & How To Avoid Them* at: http://www.askthebizcoach.com/ebooks.htm

kim@askthebizcoach.com

---

Mobile Carwash; Senior Citizens and Mobile Homes

Senior citizens are generally not a large marketing segment for... Read More

Can Your Business Run Without You?

What would happen if you decided to take an extended... Read More

Small Business Spoiler - Procrastination

One of the most common issues that comes up for... Read More

Batting Cages Business - Making Profits With The Swing Of A Bat

There is a Batting Cages Business for those people who... Read More

Preparing to Launch Your Small Business

Small business owners often enter their field with great expectations.... Read More

Tell Me The Reasons Why I Should Believe You?

Have you ever heard the phrase, 'PREPONDERANCE OF PROOF'?I recently... Read More

Success Tips for Small Business Owners

Running a small business requires many skills. However, to do... Read More

Small Home Business: Ad Copy Secrets

So it's time to invest some finances into advertising your... Read More

Recognizing Employees? Contributions Can Go a Long Way

Every employee would like to earn as high a salary... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn ? A Key Marketing Strategy for Small Business

-- Building Credibility Through Success Stories --Successful solo entrepreneurs spend... Read More

The Perilous Franchise Agreement: What Did You Sign?

Purchasing a franchise has become one of the most popular... Read More

Home Based Franchise Case Study

Here is an interesting case study of a company, which... Read More

Finding a Venture Capital Firm

Many ventures are faced with the challenging task of raising... Read More

Four Reasons Why Small Businesses Succeed (or Fail)

The American system of business management has been admired and... Read More

Site Selection - Slice of Life, A Car Wash and Detail Center DownTown

There is a continual trend we are seeing which I... Read More

California Department of Corporations Attempts to PR Their Benefits to Consumers

On Monday the Department of Corporations in California revoked franchise... Read More

Speed Kills on the Web!

I only have to point to the 555 plus failed... Read More

How To Select a Franchise

Here are some useful tips on how to select a... Read More

Maintaining Your Carpet Extractor in Your Auto Detail Shop

Auto Detailing: Maintaining A Commercial Carpet ExtractorYou should drain your... Read More

Mobile Pressure Washing and City Contracts

Many mobile pressure-washing companies turn to government contacts to make... Read More

Small Business Success Tip: Learn Something New Everyday

Your grandfather probably told you to "learn something new everyday".... Read More

The Wrap on Ag Plastic

While driving through Pennsylvania farmland, you have probably noticed an... Read More

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Joining a Professional Association

I'll be the first to admit that I went a... Read More

Mattress Cleaning Business: How To Manual

A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if... Read More

Small Business Newsletter Dilemma: Which Day Do I Send?

If you're just ramping up your small business email newsletter,... Read More

Take a Break - Have a Pity Party

Pity parties are nothing new. In fact, we do it... Read More

How to Prevent Home Business Burnout

As a home business proprietor, you may already realize why... Read More

Old Data in Database Marketing Software

Database Problems in MarketingI have been working on a direct... Read More

Does Your Company Have a Business Image Manual

Every business regardless of size needs a "Business Image Manual"... Read More

Your Small Business Suggestion Box

A suggestion box is a really good idea for your... Read More

The Beauty of Focus and Plan B

Did you ever have one of those days or weeks... Read More

Business Success - The 42 Greatest Business Tips

What does it take to grow a business and run... Read More

Reduce Stress, Increase Profits By Incorporating Strategic Systems In Your Small Business Success

Whether you are an Entrepreneur or Business Professional there are... Read More