How to get JV partners who can help you attract clients and grow

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Maybe you have private clients and started a few groups. Now you want to expand further and kick it up a notch. One way to do this is connect with others who can help you. Joint Venture (JV) partners can help you attract clients and grow at a more rapid pace than you might be able to do on your own. This is true for a few reasons: • JV partners help expand your marketing reach by announcing programs or opportunities to their list • JV partners know and can refer you to other business people who might be helpful as well • Sometimes JV partners know a faster, better way for you to accomplish something once you tell them your objective and might share their knowledge and experience with you. How Do You Find JV Partners Who Can Help? 1. Know what you want in a partner. Most importantly, you need to know what kind of partner you want and what you hope to achieve together. You want partners who share the same target audience and work with the same kind of clients, but aren’t competitive so you can more freely share your list and ideas. 2. Start talking to people. Tell the people you already know what you want to accomplish and who you are looking to work with. Make a list of 15-20 “centers of influence” as I call them and invite them to have a cup of coffee if they are local. You’ll be surprised at who your own contacts know and can turn up for you. 3. Search the web for partners. Once you know the type of partner, search the Internet to find prospects. Some business people are seeking partners and have a contact form for this purpose. 4. Use LinkedIn to find connections. When you find a few potential partners, go to LinkedIn to see if you are connected to them. A warm introduction can make a big difference when approaching a partner. How Do You Approach Partners? Keep it really simple. Figure out exactly what you want when you call a potential JV partner. Do your homework regarding what they do so you look knowledgeable. Then be straight forward and try either of these simple scripts: A. “Here’s how you can help me. I’m looking to…Thanks for helping me, now what can I do for you?” B. “What are you working on now and how can I help you? Now here’s how you can help me…” B. Partnerships are not about just taking. They are a yummy exchange where you both have opportunities to benefit. Your Client Attraction Assignment: If JV partnerships are your next step, take time this week to research. Surf the web to find potential partners who work with the same target and who might be help to attract more clients. Then start to explore the opportunities. Even if you don’t find a partner right away, at the very least, you are networking which is always good for business.