Marketing to your customers: collaboration

Studios who collaborate with other local businesses and organizations can create powerful synergies that benefit everyone involved.

Key advantages of collaboration

Expanded Customer Reach

When small retailers partner with complementary businesses, they gain access to each other's customer bases. This cross-pollination introduces your store to potential customers who might not have discovered you otherwise.

Enhanced Brand Recognition

Partnering with respected local businesses and community organizations enhances your credibility and visibility. When customers see your business actively engaged in the community, they develop stronger trust in your brand.

Knowledge Exchange

Regular interaction with other business owners creates valuable opportunities to share insights, discuss challenges, and exchange solutions that have worked in similar contexts.

Community Economic Resilience

When local businesses support each other, more money stays within the community. This creates a virtuous cycle of economic resilience that benefits everyone, including your business.

Innovative Marketing Opportunities

Collaborations open doors to creative marketing approaches:

Joint loyalty programs
Collaborative special events
Cross-business promotions and referral systems
Community-focused content marketing

One of my most successful, long-term and beneficial collaborations were the mobile blood drives I hosted at my Florida and North Carolina studios. I'm a life-long donor (closing in on 190 pints!) and with a storefront and a parking lot, hosting regular drives was a no-brainer.

Reach out to your local blood bank (The American Red Cross hosted mine)
Let them know the logistics of your space; I had a large lot at the back of my studio (with a door directly into my shop), and it was the perfect place to park their bus.
Most blood drives send emails and or postcards promoting the drive - and your studio is, of course, named as the host! Your business is listed on their site, in the directory of upcoming drives, and can also be highlighted in their other marketing channels. If blood supply is critically low (which it often is these days), the blood bank will promote the drive more heavily.
I always did my own promotions to book more donors, including giving all donors a free flat ornament of their choice (they could return to paint it another day).
Day of: all donors came into the studio (my party room), registered and waited to be sent to the bus to donate.
After their donation, snacks and drinks were set in the party room (ARC provided) and donors returned for their required rest time before heading out.

Stay close to home (your studio)

My NC studio was in a large shopping center. The smaller retailers and restaurants were positioned around a large fountain. I organized several events with those businesses, including a "roaming" Ladies Night Out (every business that participated offered something for the ladies to do, eat, to drink, to try out, etc.). It was SO much fun - and VERY successful. Each participating business contributed some money for marketing material, and they were responsible for helping promote the event in their own business. We had posters, social media posts and info on our shopping center's website and social media.

This idea also worked perfectly for Trick or Treating and was handled similarly to the ladies night, except each store handed out candy and their own goodies. It was a GREAT family event!

The time to collaborate is NOW

Collaboration creates resilience in challenging economic times. By joining forces with other small businesses and groups, you can share resources, expand your reach, and tap into new expertise—all while maintaining your independence and unique identity. In today's rapidly changing market, these collaborative relationships provide not just growth opportunities but essential resilience.

As the old saying goes, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'

What potential partnership could transform your business journey? Reach out to a fellow small business owner this week and start the conversation.