How to Attract the Perfect JV Partners & Build Your Community
One of the best ways to find your perfect JV partners is to start within your own circle. Start with people who already know you and what you stand for. Start with those who have seen the results you can get—and believe in you.
To that mix, add influencers and fellow professionals whom you would like to partner with—even if they don’t yet know you. We’ll talk more about that in a moment, but first, let’s make sure you have a group coaching model set up that partners will want to promote!
Step One: Make it Easy for JV Partners to Promote—and Participate
Before you approach anyone, make sure you do your homework. Know what is going on in your potential JV partners’ lives. Follow them on social media, read their blogs, watch their videos and check out their products and communities.
Create your launch and promotional webinar to give them plenty of lead time. Make sure you have set definite dates for your launch steps. Let them know exactly what you want them to promote, when, why—and what’s in it for them.
First, don’t try to get them to promote a big ticket item like a VIP Boot Camp if nobody knows you from Adam (or Eve).
Start small. Ask for their help in a way that will cost them minimal effort and involvement—but don’t ask until you have a great proposition that will get them really interested.
Ask them to share the news about your pre-program webinar. Just make sure its topic is one their audiences will love and are currently interested in. A single, freebie webinar is as no-risk as you can offer—and they are much more likely to be interested.
(A free webinar to promote is also just something interesting to share, not something they feel they have to “sell”.)
Sweeten the pot. Offer to give their own list members a special deal—a special bonus you’ve created just for them (make it brand-able by your partner, and this could interest them even more.
But what if you want to ask people you don’t know—those higher up on the ladder—to be your JV partners?
Step Two: How to Attract Alpha Partners—Even When You’re Scared to Approach
What is an “Alpha” partner?
We’ve all met Alphas in the business world. Those are the people that get the big results, the ones everyone wants to partner with, meet and promote. Alphas know their own worth. They don’t have time for those who are not equally clear, organized and focused.
It’s like dating: Alphas are the ones who always do the choosing. That’s why connecting with an Alpha partner is highly unlikely, if you’re not walking the same halls and frequenting the same restaurants. You need to have strong assets to attract them.
Your timely, relevant project is the first asset. If it ties into their interests, you may be at least heard.
Next, show them quickly what else you can bring to the table. That can include:
Another partner with more social clout than you
Real authority, expertise and/or credentials in your field
Great resources—ready-made and ready to brand
A strong list with good numbers
Specialty skills that qualify you as a desirable partner whether or not you are well known
100% commission and special bonuses for their people
Extra rewards for the extra reach their help will bring
Time to take care of everything so their involvement is minimal
You have to prove yourself to an Alpha partner. She is the one doing you the favor. Alphas are used to people asking favors every day, you have to have something special on tap before they will even consider your request.
Step Three: 3 Top-Secret Strategies that Work
Here’s are the top three secrets to attracting JV partners who don’t yet know you or who are further up the ladder than you at the moment.
Ask those who know you before approaching unknown partners.
Once you have a JV partner on board (one that you already know and who is enthusiastic about you and your results) then—and only then—should you approach your desired JV target.
That allows you to include mention of this other desirable partner in your invitation email—especially if that partner is going to be actively contributing to your pre-program webinar (for example, by doing an interview with you or providing a resource your desired JV target’s audience will love).
2. Show your desired JV why their community will love your program/webinar/resources.
Let’s be honest: If you don’t yet have a list and no one knows you outside of your coaching clientele, it’s going to be hard to interest a top-level JV partner… but if you ask correctly and you KNOW you have just the perfect webinar (and especially if it ties in with a current goal of your potential partner) you can
sometimes get a “yes” answer. The key is to let your potential, top-level JV partner know:
What big benefit they/their community will get from promoting your webinar
That you have made it no-brainer easy for them to do what you ask
3. Follow, get to know and help them out.
And if you haven’t yet done that, start straight away!
Go to the same events. Don’t ask for anything there: Just get to know them. If possible and natural, follow that up with a note reminding them of where they met you, and send them something you either promised them or that you think they would like.
This is not the time for self-promotion, however. All you’re doing with your follow-up email is reminding them who you are—and that you’re useful.
4. Join and buy.
Join their groups, and become visibly active and helpful there on a regular basis. Buy their products and recommend them. Become their affiliates. Work hard and get results.
That’s not to intimidate you, but you do need to know your odds of attracting a top-level partner without being among those ranks yourself—and what you can do to increase those odds.
Remember, if you don’t ask, you will never get that “yes” answer. So ask anyway. Craft a personalized, great email, check their timing and schedule, and send it at the perfect time—for example, when your potential JV partner is just getting ready to promote her new book.
Step Four: Ten Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
We’ve mentioned that Alpha partners are the ones doing the choosing. They’re doing you the favor—but don’t automatically assume things are going to be paradise once they’re on board.
It’s important to avoid mistakes that can backfire in harmful ways to your reputation. Take care of the following, and you won’t need to worry.
Check feedback on potential partners.
Occasionally you get an Alpha who has gone over to the Dark Side, and you’ll see this in negative reviews or complaints
2. Find out if they have a reputation for being easy or difficult to work with.
Either ask someone you know who has paired up with them, or Google them. Run an Advanced Search in Twitter. (Use Google’s Page Rank Checker to save background-checking time—be sure to scroll below the fold to see your results.) Check out their social reputation thoroughly.
Go to events—that’s where you will hear things said that people won’t commit to on social media. (But of course, don’t just go for the gossip—make sure you are attending strategically, to grow your network and learn what you need.)
Make sure your values don’t clash with their values.
It has happened before: People are delighted to pick up a bigger-name JV partner—then discover that the partner doesn’t deliver good value (but they have a fantastic sales copywriter!). Or push extra sales on your list members in an aggressive manner that reflects badly on you. Or goes big-game hunting in Africa, while you’re a member of End Sports Hunting America.
2. Don’t ask too much of them, too soon.
Unless there is a real advantage to them for becoming involved on a deeper level, just having them as your affiliate is a perfect start!
3. Don’t skimp on resources and rewards.
If you’ve landed a super-affiliate or a top Alpha, they will expect high-quality resources to be ready at their fingertips—including custom bonuses, special pricing or deals and banners, at least one email series, results-based affiliate contests, links, PLR articles or social posts.
Alphas will also expect 100% commission—and if you can provide extra bonuses for performance too, you’re on the right track.
Don’t be a pest. Don’t bombard them with emails or private messages on Facebook. Don’t ask them to do extra things that weren’t brought up in your initial discussion/agreement.
Do your best to be organized, proactive and professional—and they might even team up with you again. (Do this REALLY well and they may approach YOU next time!)
2. Be specific.
Make sure you set deadlines and dates, and make sure you have specific, concrete answers to affiliate/JV partner questions—before they ask them!
3. Have your webinar script ready to go.
Experienced JV partners will most likely want to see what they’re promoting. Make sure you can easily show them! Don’t get caught stammering excuses or acting as if you don’t know what they mean.
4. Make sure you don’t let them down!
Remember, they are staking their carefully-built reputation on you!
The content, bonuses, handouts and other resources should all at the very least deliver on your promise and—best case scenario—over-deliver, so that your JV partner is pleased that her recommendation was justified—and more.
Meet your deadlines. Stick to your check-in dates. Follow a system and protocols—in short, act like a professional!
Make a plan—and take action!
Don’t just dream about attracting quality JV partners—and dreaming is what will happen if you don’t actively plan to ask, and give yourself a deadline.
Research your potential JVs. Check what’s going on in their lives and when would be the best time to approach them
Start with people you know (or who know you)
Make a checklist of what you have to prepare before asking
Get the items on the checklist ready
Write personalized emails
And, of course, these tips are just as relevant for lesser-known JV partners too.
What quality JV partners find irresistible are fulfilled promises—and results!
Always keep the focus on what your JV partner will get out of this—and what her community will get out of meeting you, too.
Step Five: How to Leverage Your JV Partners
The beauty of JV partners is that you don’t have to blow your own horn. They will (ideally) do it for you. But there’s more to leveraging them than just sitting back and letting them do their stuff.
Talk about them. Interview them. If you’re lucky enough to live near them, meet up (take them to a fantastic lunch) and take selfies together. Or dig out that selfie they allowed you to snap with them back at the last event you both attended together.
Think of it in terms of reciprocity. Don’t have the mindset that they’re there just to promote you. Actively figure out how you can return the favor to them.
Be prepared to promote back and become their affiliate in return. Share their announcements, review their new products—be part of their community yourself!
Plan reciprocal activity into your business schedule. You need to build a reputation as a giver, not a taker. Besides, reciprocity is fun! And you will get great JV partners who become that best JV partner of all—professional friends, who promote you because they like you, believe in you and share your values.
Finally, consider advertising—and if you do advertise, be sure to let your affiliates know any relevant details about your ads, ad content and dates they can leverage themselves.
Knowing that you are advertising—with a budget for professionally doing so—and seeing you advertise with confidence in the right places will reassure JV partners that you know what you’re doing.
When you are considering adding JV partners and affiliates to the mix, make sure you set things up to be as positive and reciprocal as possible. (If you can’t reciprocate with time, do it with generous rewards, bonuses and commissions.)
Focus on creating a “win-win” situation, and make that a habit, if you want to attract quality, active, enthusiastic JV partners.
Want some support as you look for JV partners? Membership Fix would love to help! Schedule a call with our Business Advisers today, and we will help you build your JV partnership plan with ease.
