One of my favorite, most potent marketing strategies is partnering with other like minded businesses.

Here’s an example of this strategy from two very high profile businesses – Yahoo and Starbucks – Espresso Dating. Dating and personals sites are big business (so I’m told.) When you subscribe to Yahoo personals, you get a $10 Starbucks gift card and the ability to find a Starbucks near you. I imagine that meeting your perfect match at Starbucks is somehow part of the deal as well.

Now, if you’re thinking, how does that apply to little old me? It applies in every way you can imagine.

Right now, on the Internet, in your backyard and all around your town there are potential partners just waiting for you to introduce yourself. Get out there and find them.

Find folks that seem to conduct business like you and serve the same target marketing and then. . .

Think about ways you can offer something of value to their clients and prospects

Offer to promote their newsletter
Offer something that they can give or promote to their clients
Offer to give them a way to earn something for promoting you and your products
Offer to co-brand a marketing tool with them

Don’t think small here – if you have something to offer and you do the research to find the right person – go to Yahoo or Starbucks and pitch them on your idea. Or, just go down the street and build a network of other small business owners that would benefit mutually from cross promoting.

One of the things I need you to understand about this practice is that you are actually doing your clients a service when you partner to bring them something that is greater than what you can currently offer them today.