To persuade a brand to work with you, first think about how you can help them.
IN A SATURATED market, it can be difficult to stand out — especially on your own. A great way to reach new audiences and leverage resources that may not normally be available to you, however, is to collaborate with another business in, or even outside of, your industry. A product or campaign that takes advantage of both teams’ strengths may be just what you need to get you both noticed by potential customers.
However, approaching another company can feel intimidating, especially if you’re a small business and unsure of what you might bring to the table. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, taking the following eight steps can help boost your confidence. Here, they offer up their best tips for approaching another brand or business about a collaborative partnership and what you can do to guarantee their interest.
Understand Their Business Objectives
When approaching another brand or business about a collaborative partnership, it’s important to first build the relationship and understand their business objectives. Is your firm able to bring productivity or efficiency to their existing operations? Are there synergies around integration or intellectual property? No matter what, remember to be both patient and persistent in your communications. – Courtney Caldwell, ShearShare, Inc.
Be Your Authentic Self
You can’t force anyone to like you; genuine connections have to happen organically. The key is to show up as your authentic self. The best creative collaborations occur when both brands are genuinely excited about the partnership. People bring their best selves when they are truly passionate and enthusiastic about working together. – Red Rodriguez, GRAV
Demonstrate Your Commitment to Their Success
While it can be difficult to guarantee interest, demonstrating your commitment to their success first carries a lot of weight. Prove how and why the partnership will be measurably valuable on their end, why they should do it with you and why the best time is right now. Persuasion functions best by knowing what someone already wants and offering it to them. – Tim Jack, Rise
Present a Custom Value Proposition
Present a custom value proposition aligned with shared strategic goals, emphasizing benefits like market reach or innovation. Use success stories and data to support your pitch. Highlight unique assets and align the collaboration with their brand and goals. Engage key decision-makers personally. – Nisaa Jetha, Impact for SDGs
Explain Why You Admire and Respect Them
Start by showing respect and expressing appreciation. You’re reaching out — at least in part — because you admire the work they do. So tell them that, and be specific about what it is you admire and want to mutually benefit from. Did you love the product launch or campaign they did recently? Did it inspire you or teach you something? Then say so! – Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media
Highlight Previous Successful Collaborations
When approaching a brand for a partnership, present a compelling case study. Highlight a similar successful collaboration from the past, showing specific results and benefits both parties received. Tailor the case study to align with your current target’s goals and challenges. This concrete evidence makes your proposal more tangible and demonstrates the potential value of the partnership. – Jessica Billingsley, Sona Capital
Have a Candid Conversation on Values
Before reaching out for a collaboration, ensure you properly research potential partners. It is extremely important you thoroughly understand their brand and interests, as well as how your offering aligns. Once your due diligence is complete, have an open and candid conversation about values. It’s vital that both parties set the right expectations up front and seek to meet or exceed them. – Jason Peterson, GoDigital Media Group
Align Your Interests and Goals
In the early stages of delving into a collaborative partnership, I believe it’s crucial to ascertain the priorities and goals of that business or brand. Once you have a clear understanding of this, you are in the best position to identify mutual areas of value and align interests and goals. – Nicole Plantin, Soeur Agency, LLC
Read full Rollings Stones article here.
