Collaboration. It's a key concept we've practiced for years and one that Jay Conrad Levinson, the father of Guerrilla Marketing, emphasized when we went through the Guerrilla Marketing Coach certification program. He coined the term "fusion marketing partners." Whether you call it collaboration or fusion marketing, when done right, it explodes momentum and results.

Create Win-Win Situations

The key to successful collaborations and fusion marketing is embracing the beauty and advantage of cooperation and not the concept of competition. Collaborating with fusion marketing partners is a powerfully efficient way to create win-win situations, reach more prospects, and increase sales. For example, a kayaking outfitter may say to a restaurant owner and bed & breakfast innkeeper, "If you display my flyer, I'll display yours." Or, "Let's create a package that includes lodging, meals and recreation and send a joint mailing to all of our customers." Their marketing exposure has been tripled while their marketing costs have been reduced.

Fusion marketing partners practice the principle of reciprocity: if you do something nice for someone else, they will want to do something nice for you. Look for opportunities to go the extra mile and improve your positioning with potential collaborators.

Here's an example of the power of fusion marketing, which gets the thumbs up from us! Each business quarter, three artists are center stage at a reception and opening of their photography works at the Superior Artists' Gallery in Washburn, Wisconsin. Dozens of other painters, fiber artists, sculptors and photographers are center stage at a reception and opening of their creations at the Washburn Cultural Center, and Good Thyme Bistro will cater to the increased traffic in the one-block core of downtown Washburn by providing appetizers, drinks and music. The format, hailed as "Washburn's Art Walk," draws a huge crowd and creates big buzz in area newspapers, radio, and among the region. Imagine the attendance brought to each of the shows and the restaurant thanks to the individual promotion by an arts organization, dozens of artists, a restaurant and two galleries each sending an email blast to their list inviting customers, family and friends.

And, we hope, you're getting the message about the power of collaboration. How can you make this marketing tactic work for you?

1. Identify potential fusion marketing partners and collaborators.

2. Determine what each of you brings to the table.

3. Create a win-win fusion marketing partnership and long-term collaboration to blast your business to the next level of success.

Is this the year you will create powerful collaborations to explode your business success? Collaborations are the key to putting you on the Fast Track to more customers, bigger profits and a business you can brag about.

© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com

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