Creating and participating in joint ventures is a great strategy to not only grow your list, income, gain more visibility but also to make a much larger impact than you can alone. Plus the relationships you create when collaborating can be not only amazing, but long lasting too!
I have been involved with two collaborative book projects resulting in co-authoring two highly acclaimed books: Make Your Connections Count and Success in High Heels. In introducing myself to my co-authors, I was able to identify whether we serve the same target market or different markets altogether. In some cases, I learned that my products and services can be repackaged for an entirely different target market.
Some of my co-authors serve the same target market I do but in a completely different way that opens up all kinds of collaborative opportunity. In some cases, I realized I know someone who is looking for their services and was able to be instrumental in introducing them and they’ll be able to collaborate. After all, networking is all about being of service.
In this case, I already knew something that each of my co-authors was interested in—after all they chose to write a chapter about it. When networking, it’s really exciting to see what lights others up. You may be able to start a relationship around something they’re passionate about. Remember, networking is really about opening up relationships rather than closing sales. Relationships are the currency of the today’s business climate.
Through the process, I met lots of fantastic co-authors whom I’ve been collaborating with ever since. I thought I’d share a few examples to get your collaborative wheels turning.
I’ve booked many of my co-authors on my radio show Networking CEO™. (If you missed any of them, they’re all archived so you can listen at your conveniences.) To name just a few, I interviewed Christine Marmoy about how she fulfilled her dream of launching her digital magazine Women’s Edge. Ana Lucia Novak shared with my audience information from “A Whole New World, Why You Need Twitter,” her chapter in our Amazon #1 Best Seller for New Releases book Success in High Heels. Lisa Rehurek, creator of the SIMPLE Productivity System™, discussed her passion for helping female entrepreneurs win the time war. And Margo DeGange introduced us to Women of Splendor, her exciting mentoring organization where women collaborate as well as discover and develop their brilliance.
Margo De Gange and I are now working on a new collaborative book and I am speaking at her Women of Splendor Live Event. I had the privilege of contributing an article to Christine Marmoy’s magazine Women’s Edge. And I’m looking forward to sharing The Six-Figure Follow Up with Terry Wildemann on her Coffee with Terry radio show.
I hope you’ll look at your networking in a fresh, new way—happy collaborating! If you have questions about how you can use collaboration to catapult your business to the next level, I invite you to comment below.
Patty, great article. I agree that collaboration and connectivity is key to building a successful organization. It is wonderful when we bring our talents to the table in the spirit of service and camaraderie. Wishing you continued success 🙂
Thank you Kadena, you are such a great example of collaborating in the spirit of service and I look forward to our collaborative endeavors moving forward. You are a rockstar!
What a fantastic example of collaboration done right, Patty. I love how you turned that book into so many opportunities.
Thank you Michelle, I love collaboration and creating joint ventures with the people I network and do business with. It is such a great way to serve both my collaborative partners and my tribe!
Patty, it’s an honor to have co-authored Success In High Heels with you. It was a collaboration that has opened doors to so many of us as we continue to find new and exciting ways to work together. Looking forward to our Coffee With Terry date on Nov. 19th. It will be awesome and a lot of fun!
Very nice article, Patty! Collaboration & connections is a great way to build a business! I know we can go it alone, but with a whole group with different talents, wow, what an impact! For me, there is nothing like a strong group of women coming togehter with like-minded results!
Kim,
I agree, we can do it alone but why? There is nothing like putting a group of like minded entrepreneurs together and see what they can come up with. I am looking forward to some of the ideas we talked about and how we can work together.
You hit the nail on the head, Patty. The more we all look for collaborative opportunities, the more we find new ways to serve and the more fun we have!
Ava,
I love that not only have we collaborated on many projects together, we have worked together as well. And through all that you have become a dear friend and someone I refer often. I look forward to all the new joint ventures I am sure we will do together!
Patty you are the Queen of Networking. Collaboration is networking in action and like you rightly said it is based on relationships that we create and nurture over time. A great Joint Venture allows people to gather around the same goal and because of that everybody in the joint venture can be more successful faster. You are setting the path for many women in business out there, and you do lead by example!
Thank you Christine! So many great collaboration opportunities as well as friendships came out of doing the book Success in High Heels with you. I look forward to our next collaboration!