Uglue: Coddle Local and Lucrative Niche Customers

Last Valentine’s Day, several neighborhood businesses including an event planner (she organized it), dentist, women’s medical clinic, florist, health food store, clothing boutique, shopper newspaper, museum store, gym, bookstore and beauty salon joined forces for a month-long promotion to attract and serve women, especially those 30 and older.

The bookstore hosted a series of “Beauty Inside Out” - themed series of in-store demonstrations and mini-seminars each led by a manager of one of the participating businesses and highlighting a book collection and the local partners’ related products and services.

Each presenter provided a handout that included reference to at least one of the other partnering organizations, plus a joint offer of services with one of them.

As well, each partner wrote a guest column based on her presentation. The columns were featured in the shopper newspaper. Of course each column contributor quoted partners in this mutually beneficial alliance.

Get Introduced to Potential Buyers by People They Already Trust

You don’t have to go it alone any longer. Want to spend less time selling and promoting and more time doing the work you love?

You can. Just join forces with other reputable organizations that serve the same kind of customers. Generate extra value and visibility together. Join forces with others who serve your kind of customers and become a bigger customer magnet together.

Act now, before your competitor grabs the best partners and uses the most profitable method.

Here’s two more quick snapshots of real life SmartPartnering successes that you can adapt to get your local business growing faster …

Become a Bigger Customer Magnet

When pillow-maker, Leo Hollander decided to drop private labeling work in favor of launching his own brand, he recruited complementary partners. On his “Live Comfortably” web site, he provided articles by a feng shui consultant, chiropractor and color specialist. Result? He boosted all partners’ visibility and credibility – in front of their mutual market of customers.

Trade Benefits to Lower Your Overhead - While Attracting Attention with a “First Ever” Offer

That’s how T-shirt designer Tami Minatelli could exhibit at nine street fairs last summer without paying for her booth space. A manufacturer of a new, unique, no-stain suntan lotion paid for Tami’s booth.

Why? Because she wore their lotion and her T-shirts, with a sign above her head, describing her original painting-on-cotton method and the lotion’s “do no harm” guarantee. Next to burn protection, that’s the biggest concern of people who use suntan lotions

First, ask yourself these questions to find the right partner and method:

• What other businesses (or non-profits) are popular with your kind of customer?

• What groups could add extra value to your kind of product or service?

• How could a bundled offer of you and your partner’s products better respond to a customer’s situational reason to buy?

See links http://howwepartner.com/2009/04/coddle-local-and-lucrative-niche-customers/