Article by George Raymond

Previously, we talked about where to look for potential partners. Now, the time has come to discuss what to do with those offline affiliates once you have made that first contact. Here are some things to keep in mind.

ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE PARTNER

The fact is that not everybody is ideal for every opportunity. That means you have to establish some type of basic criteria for evaluating each potential candidate. Often, this can be accomplished by posing a few simple questions:

· Why does my program interest you?
· How many hours per week can you commit to the program?
· What do you hope to gain by your participation?
· Are you a self-starter or do you tend to need supervision?
· Do you like to learn new things?

If the responses to these questions strike you as favorable, then you will want to investigate the potential a little further.

WHAT TO SAY TO THE POTENTIAL PARTNER

One of the main things you want to do is establish a strong interest on the part of the partner. If the individual was willing to answer all the questions above, that indicate at least a rudimentary interest you can build upon. To do this, use the data you collected from the answers.

By relying on the answers provided by the potential partner, you can accomplish the following:

· Demonstrate how your program can help him or her to meet financial or personal goals
· Articulate the benefits that come with being your own boss
· Point out the advantages of earning income while building up a client base
· Identify ways that being open to learning will only maximize the potential for making a tidy profit
· Explain how your program is better than similar programs and can help the partner reach his or her goals more effectively

HANDLING OBJECTIONS

If you are doing your job right, there are not likely to be too many objections. At the same time, unless there are at least a few, that is an indicator that the potential candidate is not really paying you much attention.

No matter how good your program is in general, there are bound to be a few presented by people who are truly interested, but not quite to the point of making a commitment.

Here is what you need to do:

· Affirm the validity of the concern. Brushing it aside instead of facing it head on as a valid concern simply sends the message that you think the candidate is an idiot. You will lose him or her at that point.

· Point out benefits that help to minimize the impact of the concern. For example, if the objection is a lack of time to get the most from the program, try saying something along the lines of “what if you started out with ten hours per week instead of twenty?

Once you are established and making money with the program, there is a good chance that other ten hours will fit in a lot easier than you think.”

· Appeal to the creative talents or other attributes of the candidate. The idea is to gently but firmly point out that by working together, the obstacle can be overcome and both of you will benefit greatly from the effort.

About the Author

There is a lot you can do to establish a good working relationship with offline partners. For more information on this and other affiliate management subjects, visit Managing Your Affiliate Campaigns, where you can pick up a free report. You’ll find some great tips that will help you build solid relationships.

David Foster and Friends Concert in Manila – Oct. 23, 2010. A must-see concert starring David Foster, Natalie Cole, Charice, Peter Cetera, Ruben Studdard and the Canadian Tenors. Apologies as I only covered the talent search and Charice’s portions. David was looking for Filipino talents in this portion and he was definitely not disappointed. He had the chance to hear some of the country’s best and well-loved singers including Randy Santiago, Ms, Pilita Corrales, and Arnel Pineda. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights to the concert production and/or songs belong to the concert organizers and/or David Foster and Company.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Article by George Raymond

Many people make the assumption that partners can only be found in a limited number of venues. For example, a company that operates primarily with an online presence assumes that online partners are their main option.

At the same time, brick and mortar businesses assume their partners are only to be found in traditional settings.

They are both wrong.

Regardless of whether your company operates primarily online, offline, or a mixture of both, the fact is there are plenty of places to look for partners. Here are some examples of places to look:

OFFLINE

· Chamber Meetings. No matter what type of company you have, spending some time mingling at chamber mixers or attending chamber events where people talk about their line of work can provide some incredibly efficient links to potential partners.

· Trade Shows and Exhibitions. Here you can have the chance to hook up with potential partners by either having your own exhibit or walking around and talking with others who are exhibiting. Those connections can lead to some great contacts that will be helpful in the future.

· Conventions. Here you may have the chance to be a presenter, or at least mingle with others with similar goals afterward. Either way, you can expand your network of contacts significantly.

ONLINE

· Message boards. These are not just for exchanging recipes or expounding on political issues. There are many message boards set up specifically to allow interested parties to network and possible build affiliate partnerships. These boards can be general in nature or aimed at specific industries.

· Blogs. These resources can help you learn all sorts of useful information as well as provide opportunities to make contact with likeminded souls. Look for respondents to the blogs who appear to share some of your basic business philosophies and try to make contact.

· Chat rooms. Live and interactive, this can be a great way to strike up a conversation with a potential partner. Some rooms are set up to allow users to go into private conversations if things seem to be going well.

· Web sites. Set up a site that talks about who you are, what you want to accomplish, and what opportunities you can offer to potential affiliates.

This falls into the category of “If I build it, they will come,” and you will most likely have to weed through a lot of undesirables, but you can really connect with some great partners in this manner.

Keep in mind that all these tools can be used by just about anyone. You don’t have to be a multinational corporation to benefit from any and all of these approaches. Why not look into each option named here and list a few ways they would help you with your business expansion and affiliate efforts?

About the Author

For more information that will help you grow your business, go to Manage Your Affiliate Campaigns. There you will find information that can help you refine your goals, expand your business, and in general help you along on that road to success.

Orlando Jordan Vs. Heidenreich from the 19th May 2005 episode of WWE Smackdown
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Related Looking For Friends Articles