Cross-promotion is an affordable way to advertise your business by partnering with another business that reaches a similar audience. By sharing resources with each other, businesses can help boast each other up, without the spending of a major ad campaign. But, cross-promotion doesn’t have to simply be restricted to displaying fliers in each other’s stores. Online cross promotion can be a very effective tool to grow your brand. Here’s how.
1. Recognise potential brand partners online.
Start by identifying a handful of businesses that you’d like to cross-promote with. Look for a non-competing brand that reaches a similar target audience. A wedding photographer, for example, could partner with a dress shop — they both market to engaged couples, but aren’t competing with each other. With online cross-promotion, consider more than just other businesses but influencers too. Take a look at their online presence and see who has a higher number of followers.
2. Identify the potential ways to cross-promote.
The possibilities for online cross-promotion are big. Brainstorm both the platforms that your brand could promote another on, and the potential places you’d like to see your brand get cross promoted. Consider social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest. Don’t forget about blogs and email newsletters.
3. Reach out and start crafting a plan.
With a few ideas in place, start reaching out to those potential cross-promotion companies. As you reach out, make it clear that the plan is mutually beneficial. Be sure to convey where you could promote them and how your brand has similar values. Once you find a partner, be specific about what you will cross promote, when, and where.
4. Build the cross-promotion campaign.
As you share posts for cross-promotion, be wary of making your page suddenly sound like an advertising service. Cross-promotion posts should still sound like a friendly or helpful social media post and not an ad — you don’t want to loose followers that don’t want to be spammed. Be sure to add links where relevant. Sharing each others posts is also another great way to cross-promote without sounding like a salesman.
5. Evaluate and continue brainstorming.
After a post, see how the post did and work with your partner to identify different ways to improve or to continue working together in the future.
Cross-promotion is a great tool for small businesses. Along with strategies like swapping flyers, online cross-promotion can help put your business in front of potential new customers.
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