Find your perfect match (page 2 of 2)

List all the companies and services you feel would complement your product or service, then describe the benefits your customers would gain from them and the benefit your brand would gain from the partnership. Rank these services from 1-10, making 10 the measure of a perfect partnership.

4. It's now time for a value match. Revisit the answers you gave under point 1 and determine which of the companies you've listed represent complementary or similar values. It's essential to identify a value match as this is what will help ensure your brand remains well maintained and is not jeopardized by your partners. The brands or companies with the highest score will be the ones which offer the strongest value match with your brand. These will deserve your consideration as partners. The rule of thumb is to ensure that both parties gain from the partnership, and that both parties communicate the partnership as much as possible.

5. A partnership should constantly be evaluated, and to achieve meaningful evaluation you need to know what your objectives are. What do you want to gain from the partnership? These objectives will determine how you evaluate your alliances. These objectives should always be communicated and measured by all partners, ensuring that all parties are equally focused on a mutual goal. And the goal should be that all partners grow together.

Partnerships have been around forever. But very few brand websites leverage this basic business concept. In partnership, allied brands can spread the word about each other and add quality to their customer service. So before you spend more money on banner ads and other traditional tools, consider what the partnership could do for you instead. I'm sure you will be surprised at how effective sticking together can be in a world overcrowded with brands.