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[Tony Blake]

Let me tell you a story about something I shared with some people a couple of years ago...

I had been speaking at a seminar when after it was done a group of us decided to go to dinner together (it was at a "fondue" restaurant... both Bob Silber and I are still starving from that experience!)... during the dinner a conversation started about projects some of us were working on and how we'd promote it and get the word out...

We got around to talking about joint-ventures and endorsements... I explained how I was going to use the endorsements of some "names" I knew in order to get a certain project off the ground and running (this was before the HUGE launches we see today)... I laid out my plan and how it would work...

One of the others at the table stated that my plan was all well and good but since I have a bit of notoriety and connections on the net that it would be easy for me to set up the endorsement/JV opportunities, and that they, because they were "small fish" in a big pond, wouldn't be able to do the same...

I begged to differ...

I asked this person two questions...

1) If I could show them how to have as many JV/endorsement set-ups as they'd like would that interest them?... of course they said yes...

2) If I told them that the majority of their JV's were going to be people with small lists would it be something they'd be interested in pursuing?... they paused for a moment, looked at me and said... NO!

That's the answer I expected... but then I proceeded to share WHY this type of JV could be very beneficial to them...

You see... there are more people that are "everymen" on the net with small lists (but often responsive) than there are the "big names"... and those "everymen" are often looking for the same thing you are, to promote their products or products they can promote to their list that can make them some money...

These "everymen" are being sold to by the "names" but are rarely being approached to be JV, endorsement or launch partners... they are seen as too "small potato's" to be really bothered with outside of having them as affiliates (which makes them commissioned sales reps rather than partners/endorsers)... you can't really blame the "names"... it's a matter of economics and scale... they get a bigger payday with "bigger" names with proven, larger lists than with tons of smaller "everymen" with small lists that limit their sales...

But for other "everymen" looking to find partners/endorsers and building a track record of successful JV's (and learning how JV's really work), the smaller "fish" are a perfect solution and a group dying, really dying, to be tapped...

Okay... reality is that someone with 500 or 1000 or 2000 names on a list does not have a huge market share... they may only sell a handful of your items... but... while the promotions may take a little work on your end (and if you structure things right this could be minimal as you could develop plug-n-play JV promotions ready to go for partners), and while it may only sell a few products there are some plusses here:

1) You've sold a few more products today (thus earning a few more dollars today), than yesterday -- every penny helps...

2) You've been endorsed and exposed to a the list of a marketer at no real cost to you... this marketer has endorsed your product with their name and reputation (and make sure they have a good reputation) and placed you in good light with their list no matter how small or large it is...

3) Depending on how well the promotion turns out you may have found someone who you can approach over and over again when you have other products to sell and other partnerships to offer (it's amazing how many small lists are actually quite responsive... I know of one marketer who has a list of only 285 people which buy almost every product he promotes to them, he literally makes thousands of dollars a month from that small, very responsive and quite loyal list)...

4) As described above, often there's more loyalty in a smaller list... marketers with smaller lists need to build loyalty with their members because it's important to them... every name/addy on their list is a potential customer/buyer... this means potential profit... and they can't afford (unless they aren't serious) to lose them or offend them... a 10% subscriber loss for a "big name" is nothing, it's a small pin prick... but a 10% loss for an "everyman" marketer hurts... it's hard work when you're an "everyman" to build a list... every name counts and you want to guard, protect, nurture and build loyalty in that list... your virtual business survival is often at stake on your list...

I explained to this person that I would take smaller "everyman" partners anytime... that more often than not it was a win-win situation for both of us and could/would help us build our sales, business and track record... not everyone is going to become a "big name" and less will even get to play with them (outside of paying them big bucks for advice, info, products or to bask in their glow at seminars)... plus, you can always parlay these smaller JV's/endorsements into a network of partners that work together to help each other build their businesses and product success (mini-JV/mastermind networks)...

After I explained my thoughts they understood... and while they still worked towards getting the "big names" interested in what they had to offer (which they eventually did to some extent and have done well with what they've produced) they no longer discounted the smaller "everyman" marketer... there's a lot more of them than the "biggies"... they're often hungrier, more eager and more willing to be approached and work together with you...

"One Fish... Two Fish... Red Fish... Blue Fish..."... penny by penny, quarter by quarter you build a business, successes, profits and wealth... don't discount the lowly penny (or the "everyman"), someday you may just need it!

Success!!!

Tony Blake
Marketing Mindreader™
New Media/Content2.0™ Maven
Õ¿Õ¬

[Debbi Bressler]

Tony,

I was there - live - when that took place.

Think you and Bob called it Barbie Food, didn't ya?

Debbi

[David Thompson]

Tony, that's some wise words man..

I've done JV's with a few big names
but I find it much easier to get a
bunch of smaller list owners to work
with than the big boys who promise
and then forget.

A lot of the times the foot soldiers
really do deliver and it's true some
really do have highly responsive list. 

You can also look at it in another way
by having smaller list owners as JV
partners, you can use the traffic they
send as a testing ground so when you
do approach the big guns you'll have solid
stats to show.

What you think Tony?

--David

[AndrewCavanagh]

Great post.

One other thing you might want to remember: many of the little guys today
who are genuinely committed to online marketing will turn out to be
huge list owners in the future.

If you've done a lot of relationship building and set up a ton of joint
ventures with a whole pile of relatively small list owners then the odds
are in your favor that a few will end up being big players.

No matter which way you look at it setting up joint ventures is low risk
with high returns but you do have to do some work to make it happen.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

[Tony Blake]

David/Andrew...

I believe in something called "The Moving Parade"...

You see, business and life are never a standstill... things are always changing, moving, going forward, transforming, transmogrifying... life and business is always a moving parade...

Those that may have nothing or very little today tomorrow could have a lot...

Those that have a lot today could be flat broke busted tomorrow... their biz in a toilet...

I don't discount either group... I give them each respect and their due accord...

To think that those with small lists today are worthless is to blind yourself to the reality that if they are truly serious about what they are doing that they won't always be in that position... you're betting on them to grow and prosper... and by working with them when they are small they often don't forget your kindness towards them and will help/work with you if/when they get big... pay it forward type of stuff...

I see the same thing with people on my list... some may not have the money to buy today, others have more than enough... I treat them both the same and don't discount either... those that don't today, tomorrow could have millions and they will remember your kindnesses when they can afford your stuff... those that have tons today may be poor tomorrow, but even then I'll treat them with the same respect as I did when they were rich -- because chances are they'll be rich again...

Too many of us blow off those we feel are not "in line" with what we see as opportunities or having the money to acquire our products... I see too many so-called "guru's" blow off people that don't have deep enough pockets to acquire their goods... they often treat these people w/ disdain and indifference... and when those that "have" suddenly end up being a "have-not" these same "guru's" write them off as not worth their time or attention -- mainly cause those people don't have the money to line the "guru's" pockets once again... wrong attitudes to have in business and life...

Life is always comprised of a moving parade... look around and you'll see...

Me, I'd rather be at the front being the band leader and taking care of those in my "band" even if they are rag-tag... being a good and benevolent leader does pay out in glorious dividends... 

Success!!!

Tony Blake
The Big Band Marketing Mindreader™
New Media/Content2.0™ Maven
Õ¿Õ¬

PS: Do realize that sometimes the old adage "no good deed goes unpunished" comes into play... no one ever said life/business was fair... it isn't... but the odds are always in your favor if you play things right...

[Judy Kettenhofen]

Tony,

Over time I have had the opportunity to get to know you thru
your visits to the friday night chats.

Your earnestness, your genuineness, your humane-ness
and your contributions have impressed me greatly.

Your contributions here continue to re-enforce that image.

While the buzz word seems to be going from 'direct response"
to "relationship" marketing -- I simply think of them as two
parts of the same process:
1. The 'direct response' is the 'attention' -- it's the 'candy'
to get folks to "sit down" with you so that you can begin
2. The relationship

[Michael Oksa]

Hi Tony,

Wow! I've only been a member for a day and your posts ring with a certain quality I have not witnessed anywhere else. In my opinion they are an ideal blend of philosophy and practical information - awesome!

Hi Judy,

This may sound like a silly question, but I am new to this particular forum. Which chat is it? And how do I get in?

~Michael Oksa

[Chris Lockwood]

It works the same way when picking products to promote. For some reason a lot of people would rather promote the overhyped launch of the week that everyone else is promoting, instead of promoting some other product that not many customers have heard about yet.

It makes no sense, really, unless they are trying to win brownie points from whatever guru is doing that week's megalaunch.

[sweetjane]

I feel a little better now

I was browsing the forum wondering how on earth someone that is not well known like me would get someone interested in a jv.

You have given me hope

Leanne

[closeoutdirect]

Damn Tony excellent advice and truly educational to me in reading this post today.
thanks Joe

[gaddisjw]

Thanks for the inspiration Tony.  We need to keep in mind everybody started out small at one time.  Even the big guys use strategies they learned when they first started out.  No matter the size of your list anything is possible with action.

John Gaddis