Joint Ventures

Joint ventures allow you to capitalize on existing, targeted traffic streams. This means more traffic for you and your JV partner without spending extra money on advertising.

In any JV deal, you're always trading resources of equal value. For example, you want extra traffic and more subscribers. In exchange, your JV partner might want to present an offer to your subscribers, or perhaps get a free copy of one of your products.

Who Should I Partner With?

Always partner with businesses that are complementary to yours in some way.

If you sell model airplanes, don't do a JV with a site devoted to weight loss pills! This is obvious, of course, but it bears mentioning just to emphasize the point.

Complementary sites are sites within or closely related to your niche, and are not in competition with you. It's ok to shoot for a JV with a site that sells a similar product, just don't attempt this with a site selling the exact same product. Again, this is probably obvious but some people have actually tried this before!

How to Approach JV Partners

The first rule: Don't be shy!

If you believe you can set up a true "win-win" deal, contact your potential partners as soon as possible. Procrastination just leaves money on the table.

The second rule: Personalize your correspondence and make sure you understand your potential partner’s business.

It's always a good idea to complement your prospect and let them know what it is about their business impresses you – then, follow that up with information about your business and why you feel the two of you have a potential match.

The third rule: Offer a "killer" deal.

If your potential partner has a successful site, it's likely he or she receives requests for JV deal all the time. In order to win him/her over, you need to stand out from the crowd and offer a deal above and beyond the usual. This means, for example, offering them higher commissions or even giving more than you receive.

The fourth rule: Be polite!

If you get turned down, simply move on to the next prospect. There could be a number of reasons your JV proposal was turned down this time. You can always approach with a new deal in the future as long as you don't burn any bridges.