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www.ascpskincare.com 41 expertadvice BUSINESS BASICS Let's Collaborate Boost your marketing efforts by working with other businesses by Kristin Coverly Does the phrase "one is the loneliest number" resonate with you? Are you struggling to meet new clients? You don't have to go it alone! Give collaborative marketing (also sometimes called affi nity marketing) a try and form mutually benefi cial partnerships with complementary businesses. Think of a credit card that off ers airline miles or a coff ee shop that sells bagels from the local bakery. Both businesses are trying to reach the same audience and work together to do it successfully. Affi nity marketing gives you the opportunity to get creative, think outside the box with partnership opportunities, and share some marketing responsibilities. Bonus: new relationships forged with other business owners often reenergize your enthusiasm for your own business. MAKE A MATCH Start by thinking of client groups you'd like to attract and then identify other businesses or groups that work with or sell to those potential clients. For example, if you want to work with health-conscious members of your community, consider partnering with a local yoga studio to off er incentivized treatments for their studio members. Benefi t for you: the studio promotes your business and you're introduced to potential new clients. Benefi t for the yoga studio: the incentive you off er on your services may motivate members to renew their memberships. There's an incredible number of opportunities in your community; look around and identify other businesses that make sense to partner with. A FEW GOOD IDEAS The simplest type of a collaborative marketing relationship is displaying another business's marketing materials in your offi ce and including their business on your website's resource list with the agreement that they will do the same for you and your business. From there, the sky's the limit! These types of business relationships lend themselves to creativity. A few ideas to try: Off er hand treatments or a brow bar in the processing area of a hair salon. Partner with a massage therapist to give wellness talks in your community. Pair up with a local dermatologist to off er package plans. Join forces with wedding and event planners, hair stylists, makeup professionals, massage therapists, and nail professionals to off er special-event services. Off er reciprocal marketing and incentives with your local nail salon. Work with other local businesses to off er combined gift packages for holidays such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Creative Collaboration • Start with business owners you already know or have a connection to— friends, acquaintances, and owners of businesses you frequent often. • Put yourself in a position to meet other business owners through your local chamber of commerce and other networking events. • Make the fi rst move! Once you identify businesses you'd like to work with, approach their owners, introduce yourself, and see what possibilities exist. • Be sure the relationship is mutually benefi cial and that both parties agree to the ins-and-outs of the arrangement.