Size Doesn't Always Matter

When my partner and I started the Internet Master Series, a 12-week series of weekly, live teleseminars, we had to start from scratch. We were totally unknown but set our sites on partnering with only the best, masterminds in Internet marketing like Alex Mandossian, Tellman Knudson and Joe Vitale. Just because these folks were much “bigger” than we were, we didn’t let this stop us. The results, we were able to form partnerships with everyone we targeted. Here are a few tips we have learned for forming joint ventures with folks who are “bigger” than you:

Be persistent. In creating any new relationship persistence is a key; approach the potential partner in several different ways – phone, email, in person etc.

Be Sensitive to their needs. This is key to any successful relationship. You need to put your offer in terms that will benefit them first and you second.

Be clear about your benefits. Tell them what you are doing, how they will benefit and why you are the right partner for them.

Demonstrate that you are doing something different. When we started the Internet Master Series, we shared our professional backgrounds with our potential partners and showed them how we would use our past connections to target people who were not typically in the Internet marketing business and that this would bring a whole new group of people to their message. This was our unique differentiator and we know it was attractive to our partners.

Demonstrate credibility. In order to create an initial relationship need to show; need to demonstrate that you have the ability to pull off what you say you are doing. While my partner and I didn’t have any credibility in the Internet marketing arena, we did have it from our previous corporate lives. By sharing our past executive-level, corporate backgrounds, we were able to demonstrate to our potential partners that we had a disciplined approach, had proven to be very successful business builders and would approach our new Internet Master Series in the same way that had made us successful before.

Before you approach a potential partner – do your homework. Make sure that you have enough knowledge about the person you are contacting so that you truly can give them an offer that will help them. When you shift the attention to them and are truly convinced that what you have to offer will make a real difference for them then your own fear begins to drop away. If you are paralyzed by your fears, then don’t approach the very top at first. Start with smaller things and build your confidence.

You also need to prepare yourself to handle rejection. If someone gives you a rejection, it is important to remember that they are rejecting your business offer and not you. Plus a rejection may not have anything to do with you and your proposal, but more to do with where the person you approach is coming from and where they are with their business at that particular moment.

Another thing to remember is that when you are approaching the most senior people, they often will have “gate-keepers.” These are people who are typically very loyal to their boss and it is their job to protect them. If you remember that this person is just doing their job and don’t get annoyed, then you will be much more successful in getting past the gatekeepers. One way to get past is through a trusted introduction. Another very successful method is to treat the gatekeeper in the same way that you would treat the person who you are approaching. Find how to help the gatekeeper and don’t treat the gate keeper any differently then you would treat the partner.

Forming joint venture relationships can supercharge your business. By following these steps we were able to recruit everyone we wanted and we found that while attracting the top players as partners is always a wild ride, the ride is usually worth the effort.