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How to Do the Brand Partnerships (Strategy with Outreach Template, Tips and Strategies)

Jul 6, 2022

Are you thinking you need to be an influencer to secure brand partnerships? Don't!

Brand partnerships can be an incredible source of income for course designers, coaches as well as experts and entrepreneurs alike. It's just a matter of knowing the best way to take advantage of the numerous, numerous (many, many, many!) opportunities available.

Afua Osei is a Partnerships Strategist who helps trainers, course designers and entrepreneurs develop the skills, systems and the confidence to secure relationships with the brands they want to work with. Co-Founder of She Leads Africa, Afua created the relationships with brands to bring in nearly $1M of profits for the company through creative branding partnerships. These include Facebook, Google, Unilever, Visa, and L'Oreal.

Photo collage featuring headshot photo of Afua Osei, She Leads Africa logo, screenshot of homepage, and an ad for a partnership the brand did with VISA

Take a look or skip into the future to learn the essential information you require about brand partnerships -- as well as the top co-branding cases to help you understand how it's executed...

  What is a brand collaboration?  

A brand partnership is a strategic agreement between two or more firms. A brand partnership is designed to help both companies add extra value to their products and products and.

Based on the conditions of the brand partnership, it could help increase brand visibility, expand new markets, or boost awareness for the brands involved.

What is a perfect illustration of this? Remember when you were young and went to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal. Your burger and fries came with an adorable toy and often these toys would be tied to an exciting new movie. Disney paid for the toys and in exchange the children would be excited for the movie. This is a brand-partnership in action!

McDonalds toys featuring Disney's Encanto character
An excellent example of brand-led partnership with McDonalds using toys that feature the Disney Encanto character

For entrepreneurs, a brand partnership is whenever you're paid by an organization, a corporation, a nonprofit, or a business. (These are typically known as co-branding or brand partnership, but for all and purposes, it's really any time you have a corporate client.) Brand partnership refers to the business partnership you establish with another business -- not with a consumer.

Brand partnerships of various types

There are a myriad of ways to collaborate with brands in order to grow your business and increase the amount of money you earn. Here are three types of partnership with brands ideal for educators professionals, entrepreneurs, and experts.

Marketing of content

A simple way to form collaboration with your brand is to partner with a different company on content. Create relevant content to or in conjunction with another brand, including videos, blogs white papers, whitepapers, and podcasts. Your goal is to produce quality content that promotes your expertise and brand, and enhances your partner brand too.

Co-branding

Co-branding is another form of partnership between brands that involves collaboration with brands to create a innovative product or to improve the existing one. The purpose of this type of brand partnership is to create products that can be beneficial to the audiences of both brands.

There are loads of co-branding examples out there. Here at , we love co-branding partnerships as they bring innovative products and knowledge to our customers. Look at this collaboration we did with Neil Patel to create a course for course creators on creating a sales funnel for webinars.

Sponsorship

Sponsorships are another typical kind of partnership between brands that can be really useful to generate revenue for course designers and entrepreneurs. This involves advertising the company that is a partner, for example via sponsored webinars, content, events, and podcasts.

A good example of collaboration between brand and consumer comes from Danielle Desir, founder of The Thought Card, a podcast that focuses on personal finance. When Danielle's podcast reached around 80,000 downloads in total the podcast was launched, she began forming various partnership agreements with travel companies.

Her top endorsement opportunities for Danielle originate from tourism boards in cities like Rochester, New York, as well as Tempe, Arizona. Danielle has also worked with brands like Expedia to create paid content. Danielle has now earned enough income from these kinds of brand partnerships to be capable of quitting her position and work as a content writer full-time.

How do you secure an endorsement deal for your business (step-by-step tutorial)

You have a business and you've got an idea. You know the names or clients who you would like to collaborate with -- so what's holding you back from getting an alliance with a brand? Why are you not getting out and speaking with them? Afua revealed her suggestions about how to get a brand-related partnership, as well as the step-by-step process she uses to create a compelling pitch.

1. Be aware of the products you sell

The initial step towards getting a brand partner is to understand what you're offering brands.

Right now, you probably have an B2C product that is targeted towards customers, such as an online training program or coaching course. How do you adapt that for other brands and businesses? What can you offer brands with your existing services and know-how?

The item you are selling to an corporate client or branding partnership is likely to fall into two major categories: knowledge and experiences.

Information

In this instance, let's say that an institution of national importance is seeking to assist high school students with their financial literacy. You, as a specialist in money you could be able to convince the bank on you as the spokesperson of the program and deliver an educational program for high school students for the benefit of the institution. This is a co-branding example in which you've used your expertise to create a winning brand partnership.

Experiments

Another option is to create experiences. These are the capacity to connect individuals together, whether online or offline. A brand partnership based on experiences involves you bringing your brand partner into an experience that you create for them, like an event, retreat or workshop.

For example, if you're a food podcaster focused on cooking by regional chefs, you could organize an event working together with a brand-partner to hold cooking demonstrations and live demonstrations, food tastings, and much more. This would be an example of an experiential brand partnership.

Your chances to partner with brands rest on the ability of you to transform your knowledge and experience into something that will work with brands of other types. You need to think about the place each brand could be a good fit. How will you collaborate with them and integrate them into your branding?

Whatever your business whether it's your specialty, niche, or subject, there's a way for you to form a relationship with a brand that will benefit your company. But to be successful it is essential to determine what you're going to provide as well as what your product to be, and how you're going to package it so that it will be suitable for a corporate client or for a brand.

2. Research partnership opportunities

After you've gotten all the information you need about what you could offer to brands as well as the opportunities you can take advantage of The next step is to look into possible brand partners.

Finding the right brand partner always starts by conducting a thorough investigation. Create an inventory of at minimum five companies you would like to partner with. Examine what they do and what they're currently offering. If they've had brand partnerships before, look at what that involved as well as the kinds of companies they've collaborated with previously.

The more research you can conduct The more research you do, the better. This way, you'll be able to make sure that your message is relevant and pertinent.

3. Establish relationships with the companies

The next step is to build relationships. In order to establish a brand-partnership the first step is to build a relationship with your potential customer.

A majority of companies will meet you prior to when they agree to invest in a brand partnership. They'll probably want to have looked at your previous work in order in order to provide them with an idea of who you are as well as the things you're able to do. It's a simple way to make sure that you'll actually do what you say you can and before putting your name on the line.

The ability to establish connections with partners of brands by utilizing a range of strategies however the two most important aspects that decide whether or not a brand says yes will be your reputation and your network.

  Reputation  

Once you successfully secure the partnership with one of your brands, you can then make it an example to demonstrate your work to other brands. Brand partners who come later will observe the high excellence of your work and be enticed to join together with you.

  Network  

Your network could also be a key tool for building connections with your brand's partners. In order to expand your network, you must be present in the spaces where your potential customers are including LinkedIn group, networking occasions including webinars, sponsored events.

When you meet brands in the field, make sure to introduce yourself and talk to them about the work you perform. According to Afua states, it could be as simple as:

Hello, I'm who I am. That's what I'm passionate about. I'd like to know more about your organization and determine if I could be of service, in the event that I could add value.

If you're able to build trust with an essential stakeholder of the company, it increases the chance of you securing an alliance with a company later on.

4. Make your pitch distinct

When you've established a clear idea of which brands you want to target and you've established a relationship with them, you'll need create your pitch. (Because the brands will not know you're prepared to cooperate with them until they hear from them you're ready to work. )

The pitch you give your clients doesn't need to be complicated. The pitch doesn't have to be long or convoluted. Keep in mind that a pitch is just an introduction to a conversation. It's an opportunity for you to greet the audience, present the benefits of your proposition, and then open an exchange to determine if the brand might be a good fit.

Here's the handy template Afua utilizes to market brands as partners:

Paragraph 1: Who are you and why are you talking to them?

Everyone's busy, so be quick and to the point in the pitch to your brand partner. In your first paragraph, you should be specific -- tell your potential brand partner exactly what you're looking for from them, and what you're looking for in a relationship.

Make sure you add:

  • Your Name
  • Your brand
  • What you want from them

Try this:

Hello, my name is Afua, I am an entrepreneur in digital media and a partnership strategist. I'm reaching out as I'd like to partner with you at your upcoming event as the guest speaker.

Paragraph 2: What is it that makes you qualified?

In the second paragraph, you tell brands what they can expect from you to make them choose your company. Your credibility? Why are you qualified to request anything? What is it that makes your company unique?

There are probably a lot of people reaching at the same companies, and you should ensure that you're clear in your message, email, DM, or message. Do not be afraid to mention your strengths. in. Make it clear to brands what they need to know about why they should cooperate with you.

If you've had success producing results for your customers, you can mention it here. For example, if you've sold your product in 3 different countries or have been featured on different big name media platforms, add that in.

Paragraph 3: How are you planning to aid them?

Third paragraph gives you the chance to outline what a brand-partnership will benefit them. How will you help them? What do you bring to the partnership? How can a brand-partnership be advantageous for both brand names?

Discuss with your brand's potential associate how you can assist them in particular -- whether you've got skills in growing sales, training employees or boosting awareness of the brand or something else completely. Make it a connection to the brand's image and how you can do for them.

Paragraph 4: Next steps

Now, it's time to wrap up your pitch. Inform brands of the next steps they should follow, such as setting up a call and arranging for a meeting or asking to be directed to someone else in their office.

It is your goal to get somebody on the phone, via a Zoom call, or in an event because this is when you'll be able tell them who you're and the things you're all about.

Subject Line

Your bonus pitch will be your subject line. Everyone should know what you want from them by your subject line.

Be aware that busy people and your subject lines need to be short and simple. Ideally use no more than nine words or 60 characters.

It is important to make your pitch clear and succinct. The more concise your pitch, the more effective.

5. Continue to maintain relationships over the long term

The secret to a successful branding partnership model is to maintain consistency. The success of your business is built upon your ability to sustain relations over time with your brand business partners.

When you secure a brand partnership and execute the plan, it's still not the conclusion of your partnership. Ideally, you'll be able to convert that one opportunity into multiple possibilities. Brand partners may refer you to other brands to work with.

If you're able to keep the conversation and your relationship alive it is possible to transition the relationship between your company and its customers as a single-time event to a longer term engagement.

Track every possible relationship with your brand using the form of a spreadsheet, so that you can see whom you're talking to, who you've pitched, and with whom you're in negotiations. You can also use tools like HubSpot and Salesforce to track your conversations.

Keep in mind that someone who declines your proposal in 2022, may still make an appearance with a new proposal in 2023, or perhaps 2025. Be sure to keep in touch with each brand partnership, no matter if it's been transformed into an alliance with a brand or not. It's impossible to predict what's going to transpire in the future.

3 tips for experts to ensure your brand's first partnership

Once you've got the fundamentals established, it's now time to get out there and see the partnership possibilities that are available there. Before you send emails to your contacts, Afua has a few last tips to be aware of.

1. Don't wait until you're an influencer.

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is thinking you must be an influencer to gain a brand partnership. Huge numbers of entrepreneurs miss out on co-branding opportunities because they aren't convinced that they're in the right position to win that company.

While influencers are the most popular and prominent partner for brands today, you don't have to be attempting to compete their influence. To get a brand partnership to your company the only thing you have to do is the ability to solve problems, position yourself for opportunities, and a strategy to turn opportunities into deals.

2. Don't rely on your social media followers

In the same way that you don't have to be an influencer in order to get a partnership with a brand, you also don't need to depend on social media channels to locate potential brand partners. Don't sit around waiting for brands to approach you. Be proactive. Focus on actively making connections and establishing your network in order to generate chances to pitch brand partnerships.

Once you've established a name and earned a name, you'll have to get in touch with the brands you're interested in. This is the most effective approach to gain a collaboration, even if you only have a handful of Facebook followers.

3. Find brand partnerships that are outside your industry

If you're in search of a brand partnership it's not necessary to limit yourself to the niche you're in or industry. There's a broad range of partnerships with brands that stretch far beyond your current field.

Don't limit yourself by only taking a look at companies in the same industry that you are- the greatest opportunities can come from completely different places.

Three of the most effective co-branding models

What would a profitable brand partnership look like? How much opportunity is really in the market? Look at these three examples of some of the best collaborations between co-branding companies that have taken place during the past couple of years.

1. Ade Hassan - Nubian Skin X Adobe

If you're seeking ideas for brand partnerships, look no further than Ade Hassan, the founder of Nubian Skin. An entrepreneur from the UK, Ade established one of the first flesh-colored hosiery as well as underwear collections for women of color. Nubian Skin's products were worn by Beyonce in her Formation Tour, featured in every major fashion magazine and in stage productions on Broadway.

Ade successfully secured a major branding partnership with Adobe to develop a class to help entrepreneurs start an enterprise. Ade is an entrepreneur in the world of fashion, but not a style influencer. She was able to secure a brand partnership with a multinational technology company through her experience as an business owner.

2. Julissa Prado - Rizos Curls X Microsoft

One of the best co-branding models is Julissa Prado, the founder of Rizos Curls, a hair service that promotes natural hair and celebrates the natural beauty of curls.

Since setting up Rizos Curls, Julissa has made a number of brand alliances, among them one in partnership with Microsoft 365 to publicize their Microsoft Office suite. The collaboration included Julissa giving her advice on efficiency and avoidance of burnout and showcasing Microsoft software. Despite being a beauty businesswoman, Julissa has used her skills and experience to establish an alliance with a global technology company totally outside her niche.

3. Tonya Rapley - My Fab Finance X Headspace

Perhaps you've been aware of Tonya Rapley, another Think In Color speaker and founder of My Fab Finance on financial education to millennials.

After establishing her company, Tonya secured a brand partnership with Headspace for the creation of a financial mental health program that includes budgeting basics, confronting the issue of debt and mindful spending. She used her financial expertise to build her brand, and develop a successful co-branding opportunity, creating content for a hugely successful application for mental health that is in a sector in which she is an expert as well as a solid international reputation.

  Brand partnerships are just in the near future...  

Are you an entrepreneur, course creator, expert or coach, then you could benefit from various types of brand partnership opportunities for your company in order to improve your profits as well as your reputation for brand. A partnership with a brand can completely transform your business, opening up possibilities and new audience.

Don't worry if you're not an influencer, either! Whatever the size of your social media followers, you can get started with finding a brand partnership now.