Co-Marketing Ideas for Business to Business Partnerships

An important aspect of most business to business partnerships is developing co-marketing campaigns in order to promote the relationship’s products and services. Businesses are able to gain brand recognition in new markets and customer bases by establishing new relationships that validate the business through the brand awareness of the new partner. Co-marketing campaigns allow small businesses the ability to participate in marketing activities that they would otherwise not be able to afford on their own. Leveraging a partner’s social graph through a co-branded campaign such as special promotions on a Facebook page or a video on Youtube can be very effective in quickly reaching new customers without spending significant resources on traditional marketing channels such as direct mail, radio, television ads, and sending out sales teams to locate and meet with potential customers.

The following are a few of the best co-marketing ideas for business to business partnerships.

• Social Media – Social media marketing should be a central component to any business to business co-marketing campaign. This is especially true for business relationships that are focused on selling products and services targeted specifically towards consumers. However; even business to business relationships not directed at the public consumer can benefit from certain social media activities such as using LinkedIn. But the most popular methods are through Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. By mentioning a partner’s products or services in status updates and tweets, people that are actively interested in the company’s brand will be exposed to the partner company.

• Email Campaign– Businesses that provide access to their existing customer base to partners should have a detailed email list of customers that can be marketed to. Developing the right message in the email may take time to create in order to be effective. Both partners should be sure to craft the right message to validate the new partner to the existing customer base which in turn gives legitimacy the small business partner needs in order to quickly establish their brand with the potential clients. 
• Hosted Event– Conducting a hosted event with speakers from both companies discussing a specific industry focused topic allows for the two companies to present a unique impression to the market about their business relationship. A hosted event can be the right setting to gather industry decision makers into a confined setting and educate them about the relationship, why the partnership was developed and how they can benefit from the offerings and solutions that will be provided because of the partnership. 
• Product Collateral – Include logos of both companies on product collateral and information on the web when it’s relevant. While some companies may not want to include the logo of their partner, they may be willing to white label the product or service. These types of co-branded materials can go a long way in establishing the partnership in the market and elevating both brands in the process.

Take time to evaluate the opportunities for co-marketing that best fit your business to business partnerships and then execute on the opportunities that are most likely to succeed based on the goals of the relationship. Each type of company and partnership may need its own comprehensive marketing package and so be open to partner suggestions and ways that they see co-branded activities benefiting the partnership.

Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Joint Venture Marketing firm. He exemplifies how to profit from Joint Venture relationships by creating profit centers with minimal risk and maximum profitability.

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