Connecting Businesses: 6 Ways to Cross-Pollinate for Business Growth

When thinking about connecting business what comes to mind? What business does yours connect with and how often is this something you evaluate or consider? As small business owners ourselves these are questions we often ponder and think about how to intentionally connect businesses together. If you run an online business, then likely you should be thinking about the online business world and how to get your brand and business out there into it!

Here, at The Social Snippet, we have worked with many business mentors and taken courses about growing social media for all types of different brands. Even for our own businesses, we have tried just about any trend out there to help you get in front of more people.  What small or big actions have you taken to learn?

The number one thing we tell our clients, and it is our favourite tip, is to cross-pollinate with other folks and audiences to get your message in front of others. Ever wonder why influencer marketing is just so popular? It is because people like, know, and trust other people’s opinions.

So, the trick to business growth is to find other folks who are like-minded to you and your niche and get in front of their audiences by providing value. You want to come off (because you are!) an expert in your craft. Below are some ways to get in front of new folks!

Instagram Lives with Other Accounts

Do you have a business Instagram account? It can feel daunting to know what to post there – should you post personal content, what should you post in your stories? Today we’re here to speak about how using the Instagram Live feature can help with connecting businesses together so you can begin building your network!

This one feels overwhelming sometimes but can be highly effective. Find someone with who you can add value and offer to do an Instagram Live with them. What makes IG live so great for collaboration is that everyone on both your channels gets a notification when you go live, so even just seeing your name is beginning of that relationship with a potential client! I always approach these from an offering value perspective and see what the folks within that account would benefit from.

This is a fantastic way to earn some credit with others that can help support and promote your brand, by jumping on IG live with them you’re helping both of your businesses! IG Live is an easy-to-use program if you’ve never done it before. Its biggest attraction for business owners is how easily it connects people and helps boost and promote your brand.

When logged into IG go to your profile, at the top of the screen should be a + with a box around it. Click that and select “Live”. Instagram will notify you how many folks are live at that exact moment and then you can go about filming yourself! At first, this can be scary for some folks, given it’s live and not a recording, but with some practice, you’ll begin to feel more confident!

Podcast Guest Appearances

When was the last time you listened to a podcast? For me, it’s something I do every day! Podcasts are trending right now, and with the past year being locked down for the better part of the year it became even easier to listen to podcasts while working from home for some folks.

Listening to a podcast is an amazing way to engage in some personal development without a course or membership price tag. You can give your credit card some time off! You’d be amazed how many of the podcasts you are listening to are looking for you to come to share your expertise. Getting on podcasts is a great way to showcase your expertise on a topic in a cool setting!

So, jump on Twitter or Instagram and connect with some businesses that run podcasts. Inquire if they’re having guests on their podcast and see if they would be a good match for you – you want to ensure this is a connection that will help yours & their brand and business. Podcasts are a very easy way to engage with a new audience which could lead to a new group of customers.

Guest Blog Posts

I don’t know about you, but I love to write! Do you? Guest Blog Posting on other websites allows you to get your content (and expertise) in front of a new audience. This also helps boost up your Domain Authority. Domain Authority? Well, that’s tech jargon for how much Google trusts your site which is something we all want more of!

Right now, your niche likely has a blog that allows contributors to share their insights and perspectives in a blog post. Look for local communities or check in Facebook groups for bloggers who are willing to have folks write blogs for them.

Truthfully, many bloggers are excited to share the opportunity and feel relieved by it! This is an awesome and easy way of connecting companies and expanding your audience and content reach. Ask around, you’ll likely be surprised at others who want you featured on their site! To pay it forward, you can create a page on your site where you accept guest blog posts and help feature others on your website blog as well!

Engagement On Other’s Profiles

One day, we will write a whole other blog series about how impactful engagement can be for growing your social media. We find, for our clients, 15 minutes of engagement (even through our engagement packages!) goes a long way in converting followers. Go into a hashtag that is optimized for your niche, and spend 15 minutes making authentic comments, adding value, and asking good questions. The time flies by and you’re building amazing relationships!

Interested in this for your business – connect with us! We’re happy to help if this is an area you’re looking to outsource.

Highlight A Collaborator Or Someone You Admire

Here at The Social Snippet, relationships are truly our core value and they underpin everything we do. We love loving on our clients and collaborators by profiling new initiatives. When growing your business, community over competition goes a long way, so whether it is a “follow Friday” feature or just sharing their wins on your stories, the re-share or potential relationship will have loads of potential from it.

E-Coffee Chats

We love having coffee with potential clients, but even more so, other people doing similar work! Build some authentic friendships with your digital friends. I cannot stress enough the power of referrals and trust, and how many folks have reached out to us because of a good referral from someone we haven’t even worked with. Take the time to get to know some folks and you will see your network boom!

Check around online, you’ll likely find a number of virtual events that allow you to sign up and meet others in your business area or niche! This is a quick and easy way to connect with multiple business owners, and to share your story and listen to theirs!

Try these and let us know how they go! Your community is waiting.