Can another business help your web marketing strategy?

In an earlier blog Is your web marketing timely?, I talked about an English Heritage email advertising a 'joint programme' on The History Channel. This is a great example of 2 brands getting together to do something mutually beneficial. It is likely that the target audiences are similar and there is a good brand fit:-

• members of English Heritage are likely to be interested in watching history programmes on The History Channel
• people who watch The History Channel are likely to be interested in becoming members of English Heritage
  

This association is more than just a joint promotion. Although, I didn't watch the programme, I suspect the product (i.e. the programme) would have been better as a result of the association. The TV programme makers should have got great access to the site (Stonehenge) as well as special insight from experts at English Heritage. English Heritage was able to showcase one of their 'flagship' sites to an international audience which will inevitably boost visits to the site, other sites and their website.

This is a good example of 2 brands working together to attract valuable customers and increase customer lifetime value. This 'joint promotion' principle could also be applied to your business (whether it is large or small.) 

Here is another example. A gym could do a joint promotion with a sports drink brand or a company promoting healthy eating as the target audiences are likely to be similar and there is a good brand fit i.e. helping you stay fit and healthy.

What other (non-competitor) brands are targeting the same audience as you business?

Could you develop a joint initiative to promote to each others audience that is mutually beneficial?

Remember...web marketing is about solving customers' problems profitably.

Peter Hawtin is an internet marketing specialist with Brand New Way, a UK web marketing agency which helps companies to attract and retain valuable customers online.