Marketing partnerships are an incredible way to increase your exposure to potential customers and improve your credibility. They are also not as hard to acquire as you might think when you first start, all it takes is patience, perseverance, and the right pitch. Read on to find out how to reach out to companies for digital marketing partnerships. Here are a few examples of Successful Co-Branding partnerships.
What Kind of Businesses Engage in Marketing Partnerships?
Whether you are a solopreneur, business, blogger, or influencer, you can benefit from marketing partnership, and if you have something to offer the party you’re reaching out to, and can help them see the value, any business is likely to be open to a partnership. Don’t immediately target multi-million-dollar businesses if you are first starting out in the world of partnerships, but don’t aim too small either. Think about where you can provide genuine value, and receive genuine value back.
What is a Digital Marketing Partnership?
A digital marketing partnership is when two businesses or professionals with complementing goals, services, or needs, work together to create mutual marketing. That marketing could be in the form of:
- Joint email campaigns, taking advantage of one another’s email list
- Creating joint videos or social media posts
- Referring business to your partner
- Creating new services or products together
- Doing a shared giveaway on your social media platforms
There is a great deal of potential in creating these kinds of partnerships, but they are not a quick fix for flailing sales figures or a way to get out of creating your marketing materials. They are not a fast pass to a huge audience or any sales at all unless you are ready to put in the work to make it a worthwhile venture for both parties.
What do You Need to Consider Before Reaching out to Companies?
1. Your partnerships will have significant impacts on your reputation
Digital marketing partnerships can hugely expand your sphere of influence, and expose you to a new audience, so you must carefully consider who that audience is. And if the company you are partnering with has a great reputation, and its audience generally trusts them, then it is likely your reputation will receive a boost from being within this sphere of influence. If you pick the right company whose values and goals align with yours, you could establish yourself as an expert, or a trusted brand quickly.
2. What your brand is and who your audience is
It is critical when thinking about a partnership that you know your brand as well as you can. Understand your ideal customer and the demographics that follow you on social media, and buy your products and services. Understanding your audience can also help you figure out which kinds of businesses would make your most natural partners. You don’t have to target companies in the same demographic as you, but if your company values and goals align, and you can see the connection between your customer buying patterns and theirs, then you are more likely to be successful.
3. Partners are Seeking Value
Companies will want to partner with you if they understand the value you are offering them. They will want to see results before getting enthusiastic, and you will have to pitch them with this in mind. If you are a small business or creator, this often means that you need to give value before you see that value returned to you. Consider this before you dive into pitching and promise the world.
4. Your Commitment is the Most Important Factor
For a partnership to work, particularly if you are partnering with a larger company than yourself, or if you’re the one who initiated the partnership. If you can show results, and bring in business quickly because of the partnership, you will get the attention of your partner. Do not promise unrealistic results, because you will struggle tremendously when the client is looking for results. Instead, pitch what you genuinely think will work and remain committed to building a long-term partnership that benefits both of you.
How Can You Pitch Yourself for a Partnership?
Pitching can be daunting, and it can also be humbling in the beginning, as rejections come thick and fast. The reality is that you need to be prepared to be rejected, and to continue pitching yourself the next day, always putting your best foot forward.
Pitching is not as easy as sending a quick message or email with a vague outline of your partnership idea and hoping for the best. Anyone who has worked in marketing knows just how many of those messages get deleted every week. The key is to be intriguing and to show value right away. Don’t be afraid to pitch hard in your initial contact message, and if possible, include additional materials.
Many companies have a pdf handbook or something similar that they send potential partners along with their pitch. It serves as a quick reference that provides key information like your past successes, social media presence and engagement, content examples, and who you are as a creator or business. Having a document like this that is well-designed and intuitive to read, creates an immediate sense of professionalism with your potential partner.
What if You Have no Past Performance?
Digital partnerships will be gained more easily once you already have a few under your belt and can easily show what a huge success they have all been. But if you are not yet at that stage, it is no reason to just give up. Start small and pitch to businesses that may also not had the opportunity to create a partnership yet.
Do not sell yourself short and sell the experience you do have as a reason why you would make an excellent digital partner. If your idea is solid and you are willing to put in the work to get them the results they are looking for, then you will start receiving yesses.
Where is Best to Reach out to?
Businesses are contactable on many platforms, and you never know who is going to receive your pitch. Avoid sending messages to a company’s Facebook and Instagram pages if you can avoid it, and instead go a more professional route. LinkedIn is great because it allows you to see the employees and reach the right person in the right department.
You can also choose to send an e-mail but sending it to a company’s generic inbox is a mistake. If you cannot find the right email address to send it to, do not be afraid to give the company a call and ask for the email address for the head of marketing or whoever you’re targeting. If you are targeting a small business with a small team, or even just a single person, this process is going to be easier, but get into the habit of sending your pitches to the correct people, by name. It shows that you are diligent and willing to do the work.
Digital marketing partnerships can be incredibly fruitful for both parties, but you have to approach it the right way and with the right intentions. Consider your pitch carefully, as well as who you are pitching to. Be patient and persevere through rejections, and you will find a partnership that is the perfect fit.
LATEST ARTICLES
- Start Your Financial Journey: Understanding Your Money Landscape!
Welcome to the start of your financial journey! “Begin Your Financial Journey: Understanding Your Money Landscape!” is more than just a guide; it’s an invitation to explore your financial world. Imagine starting a quest where your income, expenses, and goals come to life, forming a vibrant landscape waiting to be … Read more - Setting Financial Goals: The Foundation of Successful Investing
After reading countless articles and listening to many respected voices on investing, I’ve learned the keys to success. Yet what’s often overlooked is the foundational role our faith can play in achieving financial goals. As a Christian, I believe integrating God’s wisdom is essential for the journey ahead. You may … Read more
