joint venture deals , keep competition closer , keep customers close

By: Larry Dotson

It's no secret that you should keep your customers

close. But, you may not have heard that you

should keep your competition even closer. You

may have heard you should legally spy on your

competition, but that's different than keeping them

close.

You're likely thinking why should I do such a thing?

Because that's the best way to know what they're

up to. You need to stay on top of things so your

business doesn't get left behind.

How do you keep your competition even closer?

Create joint venture deals with them. You're saying,

WHAT?! Yes, you read it right. There are many

joint venture deals that you can do where it doesn't

matter that you're in competition with the other

business.

Here are a few:

Develop or create a neutral product together. For

example, co-author an ebook together and split the

profits.

Team up to bring down your biggest competition.

Share valuable information with each other. Cut

costs buy sharing equipment and skills. Use the

extra money to run co-op ads. This won't work if

they are your biggest competition.

Sponsor an event together. You would be able to

split the costs and both save money. You both

would be able to get the word out about your

businesses.

Promote each others products that are related

but don't create a competition. Just bundle them in

a package deal and split the profits.

Create a viral freebie together. You both could run

ads in the freebie. A free ebook, for example. You

could allow other people to give it away. The best

business ad wins the most sales.

There are also disadvantages to these joint venture

deals. They may find out important information

about your business that you don't want them to

know, but the same thing could happen to them.

In the long run, you may end up becoming friends

and partners by developing this relationship. You

may even combine your businesses.

The Joint Venture Marketing Directory! Find tons of

online businesses, web masters and e-zine publishers

that want to joint venture and barter with you! Visit:

http://www.ldpublishing.com