As many of you know these days, there is a lot of focus on social media and many are trying to put themselves out there for others to see.
Small businesses are not the exception. Small businesses need to find ways for others to find them, know about them, and eventually, buy from them.
Some small businesses differ from large corporations, in that they do not have huge budgets to invest in big marketing campaigns that include TV, radio, and social media altogether. A solution for them is to find a professional with whom to collaborate.
The collaboration needs to be a win-win opportunity for both parties. To make it work, one company/brand/professional needs to offer a benefit to the other one, and vice versa. A successful collaboration can open the doors to new audiences, and even an entire new market for both of them.
However there are six important points to pay attention when collaborating with a brand:
- My customers equal your customers. It’s important that both companies/brands have similar market and audiences. Before collaborating with a brand, make sure that both are a good fit.
- Understand the expectations. Be clear and transparent about what both parties will get from the collaboration.
- Know your limitations. Do not over-promise. It is always better to under-promise and surprise them with an over-the-top job.
- Make sure that everyone is on the same page. Create contracts and write down all the details of the project, the responsibilities of everyone involved, and what both parties will get from the collaboration.
- Everyone’s ideas are heard. It is so important to have a collective vision and a plan.
- Aim to a long relationship. If you do a great job, a one-time collaboration could become a long-term client. Even when there is no exchange of payments, other than your time, collaboration has to be treated as a client project. You never know if this same brand will hire you for all their future campaigns, or refer you to other affiliates.
As photographers, our focus should always be to give the most amazing images. Remember, the photographs will not only represent the client but also the photographer.
After learning the importance of collaborating with other brands or professionals, are there any brands that you would like to work with?
