Who knows how many people chose to stay at the Ritz Carlton rather than at another luxury hotel because of an added thrill - complimentary use of a brand new Mercedes during their stay?

Mercedes & Ritz Carlton forged a smart partnership and became the top-of-mind choice with their kind of (upscale) customers and so can you - regardless of the kind or size of your business.

The bonus benefit? Priceless media coverage of your "first-ever" offer.

Want to spend less time selling and promoting and more time doing the work you love?

You can. Just join forces with other reputable organizations that serve the same kind of customers. Focus on forging the profitable partnerships that generate differentiating value and visibility. Then you can devote more time delighting your customers and attracting fervent referrals by improving your products and your customer service.

Act now, before your competitor grabs the best partners and uses the most profitable method.

Here's seven more quick snapshots of real life successful partnering methods that you can adapt to get your business growing faster.

1. *Give People Another Reason to Try Your Service or Product*
That's how Applebee's and Weight Watchers attracted new customers without advertising more. When Weight Watchers designed and branded low-cal menu items for Applebee's, followers of their diet program could eat out without guilt, at Applebee's. Applebee's fans got a first-hand introduction to Weight Watchers.

2. *Trade Benefits to Lower Overhead - While Attracting Attention with a "First Ever"*
That's how T-shirt designer Tami Minatelli could exhibit at nine street fairs last summer without paying for her booth space. A manufacturer of a new, unique, no-stain suntan lotion paid for Tami's booth. Because she wore their lotion and her T-shirts, with a sign above her head, describing her original painting-on-cotton method and the lotion's "do no harm" guarantee. Next to burn protection, that's the biggest concern of people who use suntan lotions.

3. *Get Introduced to Prospective Buyers Where Your Competition Isn't Even in Sight*
That's why those who fly on Delta Air Lines airlines now see cabin interiors and flight attendant uniforms created by clothing designer Kate Spade. How can you display each other's products and services?

4. *Become a Bigger Customer Magnet by Joining Forces to Offer More Helpful Tips than Your Competitor*
That's why, when pillow-maker, Leo Hollander decided to drop private labeling work in favor of launching his own brand, he recruited complementary partners. On his "Live Comfortably" web site, he provides articles by a feng shui expert, a chiropractor, and a color specialist. Result? He boosted all partners' visibility and credibility - in front of their mutual market of customers.

5. *Give Your Niche Market Something They'll Love to Talk About*
To reach men in bars, sports arenas and restaurants, advertisers used the Wizmark, otherwise called an "interactive urinal communicator." As men step up to the urinal they activate, with the slightest movement, a sensor that prompts red lights to flash, crunchy guitar chords to sound and a 30 second commercial to appear. Yes women, the male response has been positive.

6. *Offer Special Touches That Your Competition Doesn't*
That's how guests at the Holiday Inn Express get the opportunity to enjoy Kohler's new multi-function showerhead and spa bath.

7. *Foment a Fun & Fast Fundraiser* (Fire-Fighting Pizza )
That's how firefighters in the town of Toluma got a badly-needed but expensive piece of equipment, a deluge gun, without asking their cash-strapped city council for a single dime.

Here's how. Business was slow all over their town. The firefighters were getting nowhere when they asked for donations from business owners experiencing a weak economy.

Yet when they approached the manager of a Pizza Hut he said he didn't have the authority to donate money, but he had a better idea.

"Here's what I can do. We can pick a Wednesday, say four weeks from today for an "Our Community Cares" day here. I make $500 or so on Wednesdays. On that day, after we sell $500 worth, every dollar after that I'll split 50/50 with you.

So if you inspire enough people to buy a pizza on that day, you can raise more money than you just asked me for."

The firefighters loved the challenge. They prepared banners and asked the local supermarket and gas stations to put up on their outside walls. They had signs and announcements printed for free by the local copy shop ­ with a bright red *donated by* credit line to the copy shop on them.

The headline on the signs and flyers read, "Eat at Pizza Hut. Save a local life". They visited offices complexes, even those with signs that read "No soliciting." (Who's going to kick out the volunteer fire department, right?)

They went to apartment complexes, video rental outlets, grade and high schools. They put flyers and signs everywhere. Once people heard about their cause, handing out flyers was like giving away candy.

The local radio and newspaper gave them free coverage talking and writing about their inspirational community story.

When the Wednesday’ comes around, the place was packed. They made enough money to get the Deluge Gun. Most importantly, it was a fair partnership because everyone contributed, so participants are likely to want to work together again.

Bottom Line benefit:
SmartPartnerships generate a profitable payoff for all partners because, at the very least, they get a credible introduction to each other's customers.

Publisher's Note:

We are publishing these stories and writing others to help our readers take advantage of technologies available to them - in order to continue to succeed in the 21st Century.

Business owners and professional solution providers tell us they want to:

• Increase their market share in their traditional marketing universe and extend the boundaries of their marketing influence to it practical limit.
• Increase "their share" of their existing customers - realizing that it is 5 times more profitable to sell more to them than it is to find new customers.
• They want to grow their bottom line with easier customer acquisition and retention, better customer service, reduced costs and higher sales. And they want to maximize their efficiency by having actions taking place online around the clock.

  Our mission is to provide whatever tools and insights we can to help them achieve their objectives!

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