3 profitable partnerships for local businesses
If you own a local business, you probably know that partnerships are one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to drive awareness and action from locals in your community.
Let’s dive into three specific ways you can build these profitable partnerships.
1. Tap Into Existing Customers & Their Networks
The best community to partner with is your existing customers, the ones who come back again and again and sing your praises to their friends online and offline. Whether you’re building an ambassador program or creating a one-time event for customers and their friends, there’s no doubt that if a customer absolutely loves your offering(s), their friends will too.
The key to a successful customer partnership is understanding what motivates these customers to be your loudest, proudest champion. Understanding what they love about your brand will help you understand how to create incredible one-time or ongoing partnerships with these individuals.
Let’s say a majority of your customers always stick around to chit chat with you about seasonal trends in fashion. Or you get a handful of DMs from top customers asking for ideas on what to wear for special events. You, as the business owner, are providing a ton of knowledge that gives your customers confidence to choose items and dress the part for any occasion!
Partnership idea: offer a quarterly “trends” event with local food & drinks where you share key pieces you’re bringing in or unveiling that week and invite your top 25 customers plus one guest to come try on items and get 40% off one item! Their friend can get 25% off an item as well. As part of the experience, ask every guest to get a photo with you and ask them to tag your shop and one trend you’re excited about. Because of your generosity, they will be excited to amplify the experience and your brand online.
2. Collaborate with Local people who love social media
Once you’ve found a way to get existing customers plugged in as key amplification partners, it’s time to find other local voices that are trusted by hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals in your very own backyard. There are dozens of people in your city who are excited to learn about your business and offerings - your brand just hasn’t caught their attention… yet!
No, we’re not talking about micro influencers or TV personalities! We’re talking about normal, everyday people who have a trusted local network of people who respect and look forward to their recommendations. We call them hummingbirds around here.
From the stay at home mom who shares the best spots she’s taking her kids on Instagram Stories, to the busy entrepreneur who shares a few posts a week about his favorite coffee shops to work at, there are people in your community actively tagging local companies and introducing their network to new and noteworthy brands, like yours!
Instead of hoping people are out there tagging you, make it happen!
After hearing from hundreds of businesses who didn’t know how to find and connect with local people, we built it! With our tech platform, you have access to hyperlocal people in your own community who are ready and excited to try your brand and share their experience with their entire network on social media.
Not only do you get to borrow the trust these individuals have, but many will return and become lifelong customers and advocates for your brand.
Collaboration idea: create a 3-month campaign to 30 hummingbirds (10 per month) for your newly announced service. You’ll get a steady flow of new customers all sharing about their fantastic experience. Chances are that people will learn about your brand from a few different hummingbirds, creating FOMO and causing them to go in and try your service, too! After, find meaningful ways to convert them to repeat customers and lifelong referrals.
3. Work With Other Local Brands
Are there other businesses in your district or local brands with the same target customer? Yes!
When you work with another brand, you’re reaching one another’s audiences online and/or offline through an authentic partnership.
Here are a handful of examples of how you can work with other local brands to drive awareness & action:
Do an Instagram giveaway together
Create a collaborative product / gift box
Offer a BOGO for a different business’ offering
Create a joint event experience
Send an offer through another business’ email list & vice versa
Offer a discount that is exclusive to a specific business
When it comes to partnering with other local brands, be as collaborative as possible! What do they want the most out of the partnerships? What do you want the most out of the partnership? Make your goals clear so the partnership is a win for both parties.
Create Your Next Partnership Today
Whether you’re working with hummingbirds in your city or starting to nurture a brand-new experience for your top customers, we can’t wait to see your local business grow! If you think activating local people to create buzz about your brand is right for you, book a discovery demo to see how the Hummingbirds platform can drive action, awareness and sales.
