Some business partnerships are easy to predict. A realtor works with a mortgage lender. An event planner connects with a florist. A fitness professional partners with a nutrition expert.

Those relationships make sense, but some of the most interesting opportunities begin with businesses that appear to have very little in common. Their products or services may be different, yet their customers share a need, an interest, or a problem. That overlap creates room for a partnership that gets people talking and introduces both businesses to a new audience.

In a community like Waverly, those connections may be closer than you think.

Start with the customer rather than the industry

The best partnerships often begin with a shared customer need rather than a shared business category. Instead of asking, "Who does something similar to us?" ask, "Who else serves the people we want to reach?"

For example, a local contractor and an interior designer could offer a session on planning a renovation. A downtown retailer and a restaurant could create a themed shopping and dining experience. A financial institution and a college or career professional could help young adults prepare for their first job, first apartment, or first major purchase.

Each partner brings something different, but together they address a larger part of the customer’s life.

Look beyond a basic referral

Referrals are valuable, but a partnership can do much more than exchange business cards or recommend one another. Two businesses or organizations might collaborate on:

• An educational workshop or short video series
• A pop-up shopping or dining experience
• A seasonal package, giveaway, or customer appreciation event
• A shared guide or resource
• A community challenge or charitable project
• A campaign that encourages people to explore more of Waverly

The goal is to combine your strengths in a way that is useful, interesting, or memorable to the people you both want to reach.

Consider the full customer journey

If you are struggling to identify potential partners, step away from your business category for a moment and consider what is happening in your customer’s life before, during, and after they buy from you.

• What is this customer trying to accomplish?
• What problem led them to need our product or service?
• What might they purchase before or after working with us?
• What interests, milestones, or concerns do many of our customers share?
• Where else do these customers spend their time in Waverly and the surrounding area?

A business serving older adults, for example, might find a natural connection with a health care provider, financial professional, home service company, senior living organization, or photographer who helps preserve family memories. A business serving parents could collaborate with a family-focused retailer, child care provider, recreation program, or restaurant. A business hoping to reach college students might find opportunities through Wartburg College, local employers, churches, or service organizations.

Create a combination people will notice

An unexpected pairing has a built-in marketing advantage: people pay attention when they have not seen the same idea repeatedly. The combination should still have a clear connecting thread. Here are a few possibilities that could fit Waverly-area businesses:

• A coffee shop and an IT provider host a practical morning session on cybersecurity and working remotely.
• A garden center and a restaurant demonstrate how to grow herbs at home and use them in seasonal recipes.
• A hardware or home improvement business and a local artist offer a workshop using everyday materials to create home decor.
• A bakery and a real estate agent create welcome boxes for new homeowners.
• A downtown retailer and a hospitality partner build a package for visitors attending a tournament, college event, reunion, or festival.
• A health or wellness provider and an employer collaborate on a workplace wellness challenge.
• A financial planner and an interior designer offer a seminar for couples on budgeting for a home renovation without turning the kitchen remodel into a financial horror story.
• Several neighboring businesses create a progressive event that encourages customers to visit each location.

These ideas work because the businesses are not paired for novelty alone. Together, they solve a problem, support a goal, or create an experience that neither could offer as effectively on its own.

Make sure the partnership works for everyone

A creative idea still needs a sound business case. Before approaching a potential partner, think through what each organization will contribute and what each hopes to gain. Benefits might include reaching a relevant audience, increasing foot traffic, generating leads or sales, strengthening customer relationships, creating fresh marketing content, or lowering the cost of a campaign.

The exchange does not have to be identical, but it should feel equitable. One partner might provide the venue while another supplies the expertise. One may manage registration while another provides refreshments or promotion. Agree in advance on responsibilities, costs, use of logos, promotion, customer follow-up, and how results will be measured.

Depending on the project, success might be measured through registrations, attendance, email sign-ups, sales, coupon redemptions, social media engagement, or follow-up appointments. If customer information will be collected, be clear about what participants are agreeing to and how each partner may use it.

Begin with a small experiment

You do not need to launch an elaborate event the first time you work together. Start with a short video, a one-hour workshop, a shared resource, or a themed offer for one week. A small project gives both businesses a chance to learn how their audiences respond and how well they work together.

If the test succeeds, build on it. A one-time workshop might become a quarterly series. A holiday bundle could return for another season. A simple social media collaboration could grow into a larger community event.

Let us help make the connection

Finding a fresh partnership can be difficult when you are working from the same list of contacts you have had for years. The Waverly Chamber of Commerce and Main Street has a broad view of the local business community. We may know a new business, an overlooked member, or an organization whose expertise complements yours in a way you have not considered.

Our events and programs also create opportunities to meet potential collaborators. Chamber Happy Hour, ribbon cuttings, committee involvement, Project LEAD, and other member gatherings can help business and community leaders begin conversations that lead to new ideas.

If you know whom you would like to meet, contact our team and ask for an introduction. If you know the audience you want to reach but are not sure which business could help you reach it, we would be glad to help you think through the possibilities. You can also explore the Waverly Chamber member directory for ideas.

Your next great collaborator may already be part of the Waverly business community, waiting for someone to connect the dots.

Adapted with permission from an article by Christina Metcalf.