{"id":226479,"date":"2024-02-16T05:33:41","date_gmt":"2024-02-16T05:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danacorey.com\/?p=226479"},"modified":"2024-02-16T05:33:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T05:33:41","slug":"beyond-networking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danacorey.com\/beyond-networking\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Networking: Building Empowering Partnerships"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo by Josh Calabrese<\/a><\/p>\n

You\u2019re busy building your business, expanding your vision, inspiring your team, and supporting your clients, but who is standing in your corner?<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are your Power Partners?<\/b><\/p>\n

Who are the people amplifying your voice, sharing your work, and magnifying the impact you have on the world? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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What is a Power Partner?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Power Partners are business owners who serve the same clientele from a different angle. <\/b>What your partnership looks like will vary depending on your business needs, goals, and values.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only \u201crule\u201d is that these partnerships are always mutually beneficial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Sliding Scale of Power Partners<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Power partnerships are more than just a strategic tool \u2013 they’re a testament to the transformative power of human connection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From basic referral exchanges and affiliate partners to profound celebrations of each other’s work, power partnerships evolve along a dynamic spectrum. <\/span>The essence of these deeper connections lies in authenticity\u2014authentic admiration, genuine support, and reciprocal appreciation. Your relationship is more than just passing referrals back and forth<\/b>; you\u2019re inspired by what they have to offer, it excites you to share their work with other people, and the feeling is mutual.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you’re collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs, industry experts, or devoted clients turned allies, these power partnerships offer a sense of camaraderie and community that fuels your company\u2019s journey to success.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Finding the Right Fit<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Transactional relationships have never really worked for me. Personally, it’s much more important to build trust, foster mutual respect, to truly enjoy each other’s company, and genuinely value each other\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I\u2019m deciding whether I’m going to refer a coach, marketing agency, or even a contractor, I ask myself if I would send my best friend to them for help.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Personally, that is a heart-based decision, not a business transaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For some folks, it is more sustainable to keep their Power Partners at a basic, transactional level, and there is nothing wrong with that. <\/span>Curating these connections is about what works for you and your company and the level of support you are able to offer your partners<\/b>. What that looks like is entirely up to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Identifying Your Power Partners Starts with Who You Serve<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Who your ideal Power Partners are depends on who you serve and how.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\u21e8 <\/b>What do your clients want?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u21e8 <\/b>What do they need?\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u21e8 <\/b>What\u2019s on their minds?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Your answers to these questions help to identify your ideal Power Partners because they\u2019re the experts, business owners, and service providers who are fulfilling those needs and desires. They\u2019re the <\/span>thought partners who are aligned with your work and uniquely positioned to share your offers with the people who need and want what you have to give.<\/b><\/p>\n

A simple and effective way to dive deeper and start identifying potential Power Partners is to go straight to the source. Ask your clients who else they\u2019re working with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask whose work they admire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask them about the solutions they\u2019ve found and the answers they need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your clients are the best people to identify their own needs, desires, and challenges.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

So ask them. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Four Steps to Start Finding Your Power Partners<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

When I first started looking for Power Partners, I started by reaching out to the people I served who really loved the work that I did. Finding your own Power Partners may be as simple as reaching out to your clients and your community, but there are many other avenues available to help you create new connections.<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Networking groups like Business Network International (BNI) are specifically designed to foster referral partnerships.<\/b> For some folks, this avenue works well because it\u2019s aligned with what they need to grow their business and the kind of support they\u2019re able to offer.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. LinkedIn is another option that makes it easier to zoom in on your community,<\/b> identify potential Power Partners, and start engaging with their work.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Ask your clients who they\u2019re working with and who they want to work with next.<\/b><\/li>\n
  4. Or, put yourself in your ideal client\u2019s shoes and ask yourself<\/b>:<\/span>\n