Whilst you operate in your own niche (bridal), it can be hard to remember that we are part of a bigger industry (weddings). We can get caught up in our own businesses that we forget that there are others serving the same community as we are. At EOK Studios, we believe in community and creating long term relationships that help your business.

So, why partner with other businesses?

It gives you access to a brand-new pool of data! The businesses that you partner with will have a/multiple database(s), for example, a newsletter subscription pool or social media following. There will inevitably be cross over with brides that you are already in communication with via your own channels, but the great news is, is that there will be plenty of them that haven’t heard of you before! When you get more eyes on your business, you have more opportunity to build trust and create a connection.

Deciding who to partner with

You need to ask yourself a couple of questions before you jump into a partnership with another business. 
Firstly, you have to think about whether they align with your values. Make sure you do your research and ensure that your businesses have synergy and that they are reputable. You don’t want to partner with someone who you fundamentally have different beliefs to.

Next up, make sure they have the correct demographic. For wedding businesses, find out their couples geographical location and average budget. You want to ensure that you’re promoting your business to your ideal client. Don’t rule out non-wedding businesses, think about the average age, sex and interest of your target market and find businesses who serve this community. Finally, make sure you’re clear on your end goal and that you trust that the business you are partnering with has the same expectation.

Partnership opportunities

There are multiple ways to partner with businesses to increase your reach and target your clients. Here are a few ideas that you could implement in your business:

Styled shoots: Great for content, puts your business in front of multiple wedding suppliers databases, brilliant for creating face-to-face connections for the future

Offer discount/added extras: this is a great approach for both wedding & non-wedding related businesses. You could create an agreement with local businesses to offer referral discounts to their customers and visa versa.

Run a competition: You could run a competition with one other business within the wedding sector which encourages social media engagement. Partner with that business to offer both audiences the chance to win if they comment, share and follow your competition post.

Collaboration posts on social media: An easy way to grow your audience is to participate in collaboration posts. This way new brides can find you via other suppliers accounts.

Now, you’re nearly ready to start partnership marketing. The final step is to make sure you’re prepared before you reach out to other businesses. Ensure there is value for both parties, have a list of the mutual benefits and be ready with information on your client’s demographic. And finally, once a partnership is finalised, make sure you create and sign an agreement.

FREE MARKETING SUPPORT:

EOK Studios offers complimentary consultancy calls for Bridal Buyer readers. So, if you want to expand your marketing strategy or would like a 1-2-1 to help you dive into your marketing struggles, simply email eokstudios@outlook.com with the subject line BB Marketing for your 30-minute consultation call.