Whether you’d like to admit it or not, you do have competition out there in your industry. Not a bad thing! Competition between you and your competitors only becomes problematic when you refuse to embrace a sense of community among you. Embracing the concept of community over competition can benefit you and your business countless ways- one of them being improved client experience. Learning how to leverage partnerships for improved client experience will make your clients feel supported by you and create a greater sense of community.
Let’s break down the importance of community, its benefits for clients, and how you can start embracing different types of partnerships in your industry.
Why Community Over Competition?
Let’s be honest- a feeling of competition between you and anyone else just feels gross. Sure, we all have competitors in our industries. Holding those individuals and their businesses to the title of “competition” and not community can be harmful in business culture.
The idea of community over competition encourages thoughtful collaboration and support among businesses in the same industries rather than making competitors out to be in opposition to us. Embracing community can lead to opportunities for partnerships and collaboration, the sharing of knowledge, a supportive industry culture, and trust and credibility among business owners and clients.
You may not have the same principles and values as competitors in your industry. If you don’t, you don’t have to work with those people! However, if there are people in your industry whose values DO align with yours, embracing them as part of a larger community shows that you care more about people than the world of business might’ve led you to believe was appropriate.
How to Leverage Partnerships
When we talk about leveraging partnerships in your community, this involves forming thoughtful collaborations with like-minded business owners to work towards achieving common goals. Partnerships are a fun way to make connections and get your expertise in front of a new set of people.
There is no prescribed way to partner or collaborate with a fellow business owner. Some great ways to collaborate are Instagram lives, collaborator posts on Instagram, putting together co-working sessions (in person or online), collaborating on blog posts, recording podcast episodes together, participating in roundtables, etc. The list of ways to partner with other people truly goes on and on!
If you find someone you feel aligned with to collab, the benefits should impact both of you. If a partnership starts to feel too one sided, you may need to reevaluate how you’re working together. Ultimately, the partnership should give you both access to a wider audience, increase each of your credibility with clients, evenly distribute resources, and provide a cost-effective marketing opportunity for you both.
How Do Partnerships Improve Client Experience?
Partnerships should create an extremely valuable experience for your clients and your collaborator’s. If leads find value in what you’re putting out there, this should increase loyalty among both of your audiences.
The power of word-of-mouth should not be underestimated in this case! If people in your collaborator’s audience are really vibing with what you’re doing, they may mention your name next time one of their fellow business owners is looking for what you have to offer. And who knows, this may even lead to increased revenue for you down the line!
If you’re collaborating with someone in your niche who is regarded as an expert, your working with them further establishes your credibility. If that person trusts you enough to want to collaborate, this tells their audience that you are another trusted source. This shouldn’t go unnoticed!
How to Find & Leverage Partnerships
Finding partnerships can be tricky. Even if you easily find people you want to collaborate with, approaching the subject with them can be daunting. If you’re struggling to find partnerships, you can attend networking events (in-person or virtual) or join industry groups to meet other business owners and start building a relationship.
Once you are ready to start taking the leap to collab, be sure to communicate clearly about your goals. Remember, you are embarking on a partnership or collaboration. Making sure that both of your missions align is the only way to provide genuine value to your clients.
When it comes to reaching out for collaborations or partnerships, you’ve got nothing to be afraid of! Lead with your values and goals, be a communicative partner, and don’t be afraid to see your “competition” as a valuable member of your community!
