Cross promotion can be an effective way to build your client list, and increase sales without spending a lot of money. Whether you are an online business or brick and mortar there are multiple ways of sharing customers with other similar businesses. Take your time to create a clear plan of who you want to cross promote with.

Who should you partner with?

Choose a non-competing business that has similar clientele to you, and be certain they have a good reputation. Your company will be a reflection of theirs, so don’t rush into relationships that can be damaging to business. Begin by making a presence as a customer to businesses that you think would be a good match. Observe how they run things. Is their customer service impeccable? Are they organized? Do they have good reviews? Will their promotion entice your clients and vice versa?

Know your customers, and their interests. This will benefit you greatly when deciding on who to partner with. Say you own a flower store, and there’s a bakery three doors down. You both cater to parties, events, and special occasions, however you don’t compete. To make a great partnership your businesses need to complement each other. Not only can you share clients through cross promotion, but you could end up doing jobs together too.

Fliers

Post the bakery’s flier in a prominent spot of your flower shop. Initiate conversation with your clients about the bakery when they notice it, point out that if you mention your name they will receive a percentage off their baked goods. The bakery can reciprocate by posting, promoting, and sending their customers to you.

Cross Promotion Contests

Use a ‘chance to win a $50 gift certificate’ for the bakery to excite customers to drop their business cards into a bowl. The bakery in turn can do the same. You both will end up with email addresses that you otherwise wouldn’t have acquired, along with new people coming to your store.

Email and Social Media

Utilize the web to reach more people faster. Your flower shop could send out an email promoting the bakery’s cupcake sale, while the bakery can use a Facebook post to urge their customers to visit you.

Stretch your marketing budget, and network at the same time. Plan ahead and strategize because your cross promotion approach could end up being the smartest advertising decision you make.

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