Attract More Customers While Spending Less

T-shirt designer Tami Minatelli was able to exhibit at nine summer street fairs without paying for her booth space. How? A new manufacturer of a unique, no-stain suntan lotion paid for Tami's booth.

Why? Because she wore their new “skin protector” lotion and her T-shirts, with a sign above her booth, describing her original painting-on-cotton method and the lotion's "do no harm" guarantee. Next to burn protection, that's the biggest concern of people who use suntan lotions.

This is not a random event. It is part of a fast-growing trend: Standing out in an over-advertised world with the right partners and method. People are partnering in unexpected ways to generate more visibility and value to become the top-of-mind choice in their market, and so can you.

That's how Oprah Winfrey and General Motors could "make dreams come true" for 276 specially picked audience members and reap millions of dollars of free media coverage. Women were escorted out to the parking lot where they saw rows of fully-loaded, beribboned Pontiac 6Gs to drive away. What a way to kick off the 19th season of The Oprah Winfrey Show and be top-of-mind for entertainment and car buying.

That's how pillow-maker Leo Hollander built brand visibility when he moved away from private labeling. He recruited a feng shui expert, a chiropractor, and a color specialist to offer articles on his new "Live Comfortably" website, thus boosting all partners' visibility and credibility.

That's how Applebee's attracted more customers – many first-time visitors – to their family restaurants without advertising more. Here's how. When Weight Watchers designed and branded several low-cal menu items for Applebee's, followers of the diet program (and those who were thinking of losing weight) had a new reason to eat at Applebee's. At the same time, Applebee's customers were introduced to Weight Watchers by a restaurant they already knew and liked.

 That's how firefighters in Toluma, California got a deluge gun, a badly-needed but expensive piece of equipment, without asking their cash-strapped city council for a single dime.

Here's how. Business was slow all over their town. The firefighters were getting nowhere when they asked for donations from business owners who were already experiencing a weak economy.

Then they approached the manager of a popular local pizza shop who said that while he didn't have the authority to donate money, he did have a better idea: "Here's what I can do. We can pick a Wednesday, say four weeks from today, for an 'Our Community Cares' day here. I make $500 or so on Wednesdays. On that day, after we sell $500 worth, every dollar after that I'll split 50/50 with you. So if you inspire enough people to buy a pizza on that day, you can raise more money than you just asked me for."

 The firefighters loved the challenge. They made banners and asked the local supermarket and gas stations to hang them up. A local copy shop printed signs and announcements for free in exchange for a bright red "donated by" credit line on them.

 Once people heard about the firefighters' cause, handing out flyers was like giving away candy. The local radio and newspaper gave them free coverage by talking and writing about this inspirational community story.

 When that Wednesday came around, Pizza Hut was packed. The firefighters made enough money to get their deluge gun. Most importantly – it was a fair partnership because everyone contributed, so participants are likely to want to work together again.

 In each true success story you just read, organizations that serve the same kind of consumers created new opportunities for and with each other. You can do the same.

Here’s some low-risk and high-opportunity ways to jump-start your first Smart Partnership.

 1. Print joint promotional messages on your bills.

2. Offer a reduced price, special service, or convenience if customers buy services or products from you and your partner.

3. Hang signs or posters promoting one another on your walls, windows, or products.

4. Mention one another's benefits when you speak at local events or are interviewed by the media.

 5. Show the joint use of your services and their benefits to customers.

6. Pool mailing lists and send out a joint promotional postcard.

7. Promote your partner’s products during their slow times, and ask them to do the same for you.

8. Share inexpensive ads in local shopping papers or a nonprofit event program.

9. Give a joint interview to local media.

10. Display Lucite stands with each other’s promotional messages.

11. Encourage your staff to mention how your partner's products can be used with yours.

12. Give your partner's product to your customers when they buy a large quantity of your product, and ask your partner to do the same.

13. Use door hangers, posters, flyers, or postcards to promote special offers for one another's products.

14. Co-produce an in-store or other type of event, demonstration, celebrity appearance, free service, or lecture.