Whether it is with a tech provider, a marketing services provider, a sales force or even a supportive spouse, the benefits of small business partnerships should never be overlooked.
Alone, you can only do so much.
With a team of loyal supporters behind you, you can get much more accomplished, in less time, leaving you free to live the life you dreamed of when you went into the world of small business for yourself.
Tech Provider Benefits
Just ask the director of Israel Venture Network, Taly Dunevich, what he thinks of his company’s partnership with Out of the Box Consulting (OOTB-C).
Before they teamed up, IVN was hobbling along with an outdated database system that made communications unwieldy and cumbersome.
After going through Reuven Shalef’s in-depth system analysis and following through with his company’s advice, IVN now finds itself humming along at a smoother and faster pace than ever before.
As the following article looks at, IVN success with OOTB-C underscores the importance of partnerships.
Marketing Provider Benefits
These days, marketing has gotten cheaper, but more complicated.
The days of hiring an advertising firm on Madison Avenue for thousands of dollars to come up with a marketing campaign have gone by the wayside for many businesses.
Magazine spreads, sides of buses and billboards are okay for the big guys selling high-profile glamour, but what are the small and medium sized businesses to do? Enter social media.
Social media is where all the marketing activity is happening. Facebook Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are just a sample.
Now there are online forums; Snapchat, Quora, Chirp and a dozen others coming up that you haven’t heard of yet, but you will soon.
Trying to manage all those social media accounts is not only a headache, but it’s nigh impossible for one person, even if that person is on your payroll.
Hiring an outside marketing service provider that specializes in social media outlets is almost a necessity if your business if of any substantial size and you want it to continue to grow.
Sales Force Benefits
Being a good salesman is a both a skill and a trait.
Some people are born with it, some people can learn it, and others couldn’t sell ice water to a roaming wanderer in the desert. Selling also takes a lot of time.
There are studies that have claimed that a potential customer has to be “touched” six times before they finally take out their wallet and make a purchase.
Touching includes things like emails, phone calls, and similar contact. If you don’t have the time to woo customers six times, or if you are a great businessperson, but a terrible salesman, you would do well to outsource your marketing.
A business partnership that pays a sales force commission to bring in new money is one worth pursuing.
Supportive Spouse Benefits
Having a spouse on your team can also be critical to success in small business.
They don’t have to show up at the office today. Just having a spouse who is understanding about your need to work late, is willing to care for the house and kids and have a hot meal waiting for you at home is worth gold in the bank.
Don’t let your entrepreneurial spirit rob you of the benefits of business partnerships.
There’s a time to fly solo and there’s a time to join forces with others who are experts in their field. That time is now.
About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.