The members who find the most success are those who spend time building relationships with the following types of businesses.
Businesses That Can Help You Reach Your Ideal Client
- A marketing agency or web designer can build relationships with accountants who often deal with new businesses. Whenever the accountant has a client who needs marketing services, they'll think of the marketing agency as someone they can refer.
- A gym can build a partnership with a smoothie shop to help each other reach health-conscious customers by organizing events or promotions together.
Businesses That Offer Services Your Customers Often Need
- If your customers often need accounting services to help them incorporate and manage taxes, pay it forward and refer those businesses to a trusted accountant.
- If people who walk into your gym are asking for a good salad or smoothie place nearby, build a relationship with the place across the street and partner to offer discounts to each other's customers.
- Building referral partnerships that help both businesses should be your goal — it can become a consistent source of referrals for years to come on both sides.
Businesses With Large Networks
- Imagine the accountant or smoothie shop owner you partnered with really trusts you and happens to be connected to thousands of other businesses. Your top of the funnel for referrals opens up dramatically — one strong relationship can unlock potential referrals from an entire network.
Businesses With a Strong Reputation
- If you send a client to an accountant who doesn't do a good job, your reputation takes a hit. Connect with businesses that are highly recommended by their past clients and networks — you'll be more comfortable referring people to someone you can trust.
Your Ideal Client
- If you sell to businesses, connect with the businesses that fit your ideal client profile. Before spending a connection credit on an introduction, use the information available on Alignable to pre-qualify a business first.
- If you're a web designer, for example, you can look up a business profile and check if they have a website, whether it's updated, and where there are opportunities to help. These make great icebreakers that can increase your likelihood of converting them into a client.