If you're feeling stagnant in your marketing efforts, it might be time to experiment with new strategies.

Remember, people can't purchase from you if they don't know who you are. So, don’t hesitate to put yourself out there—sharing what you offer and how your products or services can benefit your clients and customers.

One of the most effective ways to reach potential customers is through the art of collaboration – and yes, it’s an art! 

When you’re intentional in your collaboration efforts and in supporting other businesses, you gain access to new audiences who are primed to opt-in to what you’re offering.

And, when you open up your own platforms to aligned business owners and creators, you’re able to build trust and provide additional value to your audience, making it more likely they’ll want to support you.

Here are a few ways to expand your marketing message and reach more people:

→ Pitch yourself to podcasts to be a guest, and/or start your own podcast where you bring on guests

→ Pitch yourself as a guest blogger to other websites, and/or have guest bloggers on your own website 

→ Collaborate with others on social media (for example starting a live video series or collaborating on Instagram posts)

→ Host or join webinars 

→ Join networking groups and/or participate in online communities and forums

In this post, I’ve briefly outlined each of these tactics, why they work, and where to get started. 

For deeper insights, I’ve also included links to other blog posts I’ve written on these topics. These will be handy when you’re ready to begin implementing one or more of these tactics into your marketing plan!

1. Be a podcast guest, and/or invite guests onto your podcast

Podcasts continue to surge in popularity, offering a unique, audio-focused platform to share your expertise and connect with engaged audiences. 

Because they highlight personal (and generally more casual) conversations, podcasts tend to be seen as an intimate medium, allowing you to develop authentic relationships with engaged listeners – whether you’re the host or the guest. 

As a podcast host you’re able to control the conversation, speaking freely on your own schedule and timeline (though consistency here can support your podcasting and marketing strategies) on topics you care about. 

The platform allows you to share your thoughts, stories, and any tips or relevant information regarding your niche to establish authority in your field. 

You can further develop this sense of trust by inviting guests who can expand on your knowledge, offer a new perspective, or provide advice and information outside of your scope of work to support your audience. 

If starting a podcast isn’t feasible for your business based on available resources (or if it’s simply not of interest to you), you can pitch yourself to established podcasts to reach listeners who are already interested in your area of expertise.

When invited on, you can share your insights and experience in a conversational way, tapping into an already primed audience. 

Either way, this form of collaboration is a low-cost way to spread your message and reach new audiences. 

To get started, 

☐ Read my blog post, “Should you start a podcast? Tips and suggestions on using podcasting as a marketing tool,” to assess if adding a podcast to your marketing plan and strategy is a good move.

☐ Read my blog post, “Benefits of being a podcast guest (and what to do before you book),” for additional insights into guest podcasting, pitching yourself, and finding aligned audiences.

☐ Based on this reading, decide if you want to start your own podcast, be more intentional with pitching yourself to other podcasts (or both, or neither). 

☐ Get clear on your goals so you can expand your marketing plan and strategy to include podcasting if desired. 

☐ Practice makes perfect. Your first recording might not go exactly as you hoped but know that you’ll get better with time. Commit to refining your story (who you are, how you got into your field, why your work is important to you, who you help, etc.), honing in on topics you love to share about, showcasing your offers where relevant, and on pitching yourself at the end of the show!

2. Be a guest blogger, and/or invite guests to write for your blog 

I’m a strong advocate for blogging as a way to showcase your expertise. 

Blog posts on relevant topics can boost SEO, driving more traffic to your website through keywords and link-building. 

Written content as a medium also allows you to share your knowledge and express your thoughts in a well-planned, thoughtful and structured way. 

Plus, blogs provide endless content for you to repurpose for other platforms, maximizing your reach and impact. 

However, blog upkeep (though it doesn’t have to be super time intensive!), can be a challenge as a small business owner. 

Similar to podcasting, collaborating with other experts in related, relevant fields can help you to create supportive content for your audience, without carrying the weight of the work alone. 

Inviting guest experts to prepare blog posts for your website not only reduces your workload but also exposes you to new audiences. When someone prepares a blog post for you they’re likely to want to share their work with their own viewers, mutually raising visibility. 

On the other side of things, writing guest posts for other blogs in your industry is a fantastic way to reach new readers and build backlinks to your site, boosting your SEO efforts. It positions you as a credible leader in your field, and gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge with a new audience. 

Whether you’re inviting people to collaborate on your blog or are providing content for another blog, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind: 

• Alignment is key. Ensure that you’re collaborating with people who have relevant audiences so that you can both successfully cross-promote the created content.

• Value, value, value. If you are creating content for someone else, ensure you provide them with a high-quality post they’ll be excited to use. And, when you’re accepting a blog post collaboration for your own site, make sure you’re confident with the final piece. Do your research first to ensure you enjoy the collaborator’s writing style and opinions, and remember that you have final editorial power. Avoid sharing work that doesn’t align with your values. 

To get started, 

☐ Read my blog post, “Why you still need a blog on your website,” to better understand the benefits of including blogging into your marketing plan.

☐ Read my blog posts, “Guest blogging? Bring your "A" game!,” and “Grow your audience with guest blogging,” for additional insights into how to effectively guest blog.

☐ Get clear on your goals so you can expand your marketing plan and strategy to include blogging and/or guest blogging if desired. 

☐ Get writing! Struggling to get started? Read this post I wrote on writing tips. 

3. Collaborate with others on social media

Social media collaborations can take many forms, from co-hosting live videos to creating joint posts or engaging in relevant online groups.

Engagement is the name of the game when it comes to social media, which is why collaborating with other businesses or creators can be so highly beneficial for both parties. 

Anyone with a following on social media has the potential to influence that audience – shaping what they do, believe, and/or buy. 

So, when you find someone on social media who shares your values, is in your industry, or simply has an audience which is aligned with yours, consider what collaborating with them might look like. 

Reach out, connect with them, and explore how you can support each other. 

• Would a Facebook live series on a specific topic engage both audiences? 

• Could you collaborate on a social media post that would add value to both brands? 

• Can you pop into aligned Facebook groups and share your expertise? Or invite people into your Facebook group to do the same? 

Regardless of how these collaborations are structured, they can introduce your brand to new audiences, ease your individual workload by filling out your content calendar, enhance your social media presence, engage your audience with diverse, impactful content, and increase engagement on your account. 

To get started, 

☐ Assess your current marketing strategy. How does social media fit into it? How does social media collaboration fit into it?

☐ Read my blog post, “4 things to consider when creating an effective social media plan,” to refine your social media strategy where needed. This post discusses how to establish which platforms you should be showing up on, the tone of content to use and the topics to cover to better connect with your audience, your posting frequency, and more. 

☐ Start browsing social media with more intention and purpose to begin identifying potential collaborators with a similar or complementary audience. Or, utilize your current network to start building out a collaboration schedule. 

☐ Plan your collaborations with clear objectives and shared goals to ensure alignment. 

4. Host or participate in webinars 

Webinars and live video chats are excellent for deepening your engagement with your audience, providing value, and showcasing your knowledge in real-time. 

Similar to guest blogging or podcasting, being invited into an aligned webinar or webinar series can be a great way to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, sharing your story and demonstrating your expertise with an audience you otherwise might not have had access to. 

Creating your own webinar series on the other hand, gives you creative control to dive deep into topics that you recognize your audience to be struggling with. 

In this way you can connect with your viewers, inviting in experts to complement your own areas of expertise, and providing information and solutions to support participants in their journey.

In both instances, webinars allow for direct interaction with attendees – giving them the opportunity to ask questions, and allowing you to nurture these potential leads by building trust and credibility. 

To get started, 

☐ Decide whether you wish to develop your own webinar series, or if you’d prefer to pitch yourself as a speaker on other webinars.

☐ Choose topics of conversation that resonate with the audience you’ll be speaking to and that will truly support them.

☐ If you’re hosting, find guest speakers who will truly support your audience. 

☐ Focus on including as much value as possible within the webinar – whether you’re the host, moderator, or speaker.

☐ Find creative ways to speak to your offers throughout the webinar session. This shouldn’t just be a sales pitch for you. However, if you’re providing real value for attendees, they will want to know how to connect with you further!

☐ If you’re the host, ensure you give yourself enough time to properly promote your webinar through your channels prior to the session(s). Provide your speakers with marketing materials they can use to share information about the webinar to increase participation (for example, email promotion text, social media graphics, etc.). If you’re solely a speaker, actively promote your session on your channels to support the organizer. 

☐ Engage with your audience during and after the session. Provide a CTA for attendees who wish to connect with you further. If you’re the host, ensure you follow-up after the webinar to make sure people who missed the session(s) can watch the replay, and/or get in contact with any speakers.

5. Join networking groups or participate in online forums

Networking or community groups (whether online or in person), and online forums offer valuable opportunities to connect with like-minded business owners and potential customers. 

Building your network opens doors for new business opportunities and collaborations. When you join groups with the intention of connecting with others, sharing knowledge, and providing value, you’re curating a community where people will want to support you.

Whether that’s by becoming a client, adding you to their referral network, or partnering with you on a business opportunity, these new connections can support you in growing your business. 

Active participation in online communities and forums relevant to your industry can also further establish you as a knowledgeable resource. 

Respond to people’s questions, share your expertise and insights where relevant and allowed by community guidelines, and make yourself available to the members of the group.

Be open about what you do without turning every comment or post into a sales pitch! Focus on providing value first and you’ll find that people will be more likely to reach out to you for support.

As long as you’re intentional about the groups and forums you’re joining (AKA ensuring your target audience hangs out there), your contributions are likely to lead to new customers, referrals, and business opportunities. 

To get started,

☐ Read my blog post, “Expand your marketing efforts beyond social media.” This blog post discusses the importance of word-of-mouth marketing, networking, blogging, podcasting, and other initiatives you might find supportive for growing your business organically. 

☐ Source out local or online networking groups or forums relevant to your areas of expertise and aligned with your values. A great place to start is our Magnificent Marketers Club! 

☐ Actively participate in these groups in ways that are beneficial for the other members; focus on their needs first. 

☐ Regularly check-in to contribute value, answer questions, and build relationships. Consider setting a calendar reminder each week to pop into groups you’re a member of so that you don’t forget to show up. 

☐ Follow community guidelines so you are respectful of the organizer and other members. 

☐ Share about what you do when it makes sense. 

☐ Be open to aligned collaboration opportunities that present themselves to you. 

Take your collaboration efforts to the next level

Collaboration is a powerful tool, regardless of the size of your business or the resources you have available. 

Leveraging the strengths and audiences of others can enhance your marketing efforts, allowing you to expand your marketing message, amplify your reach, build credibility, connect with new audiences of potential buyers, and build lasting relationships within your industry. 

Once you've explored the methods outlined in this post, you may want to delve even deeper into what I would consider a second level of collaboration strategies. 

These strategies include building affiliate or referral programs, combining complementary products or services with other businesses, exploring sponsorships, and creating effective partnerships. 

My blog post, “The impact of collaboration, referral programs, and partnerships,” provides comprehensive insights into how these strategies can be leveraged at different levels. 

Remember, alignment is key

Before you jump into anything, do your due diligence: 

☐ Research the person or company you are looking to collaborate with and ensure your audience would benefit from their advice, insights, and/or offer, or vice versa. 

☐ Connect with the business owner and get to know each other before you commit to working or collaborating together.

☐ Discuss your values to ensure they are aligned. 

☐ Communicate your goals and expectations clearly, and get to know theirs. 

☐ Discuss your ideal clients so you can ensure your audiences are similar – or at least that they would benefit from each other’s products or offers.  

Your collaboration efforts will only be effective if you and your business are truly aligned with the company and business owner you’re working with. Quality over quantity here definitely applies here! 

If the partnership isn’t mutually beneficial, authentic, and relevant to your clients, it’s not worth the effort. But when it is, it’s a win for everyone involved.