February 2024

Home service success in local business synergy

You see it in nature, and it’s true in your business: symbiosis—mutually beneficial partnerships that sustain each other. Take, for instance, the whitetip shark and the pilot fish. The shark allows the pilot fish to hitch a ride on its side while scouring the ocean for food. The pilot fish is protected, and the shark has dangerous parasites cleaned off.

Now, your business won’t perish sans partnerships, but in the vast sea of home service businesses, forming a symbiotic relationship with a local community business shark that reaches mutual clients can boost visibility, trust, referrals, and revenue. Together, you could be the stars of the sea. And hey, make some new friends.

Find the Right Sharks

You don’t want to be swallowed up in a stale partnership. List companies that align with your business values and brand standards while complementing the goals you have for your target demographic. If you’re a cleaning service, find real estate agents or interior designers interested in keeping staged homes gleaming. If you’re a flooring company, consider partnering with a reliable insurance agency for home restoration work. 

Whoever you partner with, it’s imperative to study the company’s reputation before collaborating. Check Google and Yelp reviews. Look on Facebook for who is being recommended in your community. Talk to other local businesses about who they’d partner with and why. Check their work and see if it matches the standards you believe in.

Once you’ve selected a few businesses, ensure you’re bringing equal benefits to the table. No one likes a lopsided relationship. That’s how fish get eaten.

Nurture the Relationship—and the Network

The business world is an ecosystem of relationships, and the first step in becoming part of it is showing up. Attend local networking events, chamber of commerce meetings, or industry gatherings. Strike up conversations not only with the businesses you want to connect with, but others in the rooms as well. Some networking groups even encourage you to present your business to the group, depending on membership status or the type of group it is. One Million Cups, for example, has chapters across the country and is a mentoring hub where businesses can present their models and discuss issues they’re facing, allowing their peers to give sage advice. Pay attention to who is giving advice—they could become a mentor.

If there isn’t a networking group in your area, start one! Become a pillar in your business community.

“Whoever you partner with, it’s imperative to study the company’s reputation before collaborating. Check their work and see if it matches the standards you believe in.”

If your schedule limits your attendance to networking events, use emails, cold calling, or social media messaging to contact the companies you’d like to meet. If that seems scary, give them a shout-out online first. They’ll take notice, and you can approach them more comfortably. 

And when you do meet new people, be genuine about who you are, what you’re doing, and take interest in their business. You’ll find the right people by being the right person. Remember—business owners know the importance of networking and are always searching for community partners.

Make it a Win-Win-Win For All

The shark protects the pilot fish, the pilot fish protects the shark. They both win. 

When you and your partner win in revenue and brand recognition, your clients win by getting a full package of superior service by people they can trust. 

Pick each other’s brains (but not literally–that will help no one) on collaborative projects and promotions you can try that will benefit you both, as well as your mutual clients. Try co-hosting events, creating joint marketing campaigns, and donating services to a local charity you both believe in. Whatever you choose to do, promote, promote, promote. 

If you’re a landscape company, partner with a gardening center or plant nursery that you know has prime products. Together, you’ll create a beautiful and complete lawn masterpiece for a homeowner, and if you plan for referral incentives like a discount on the bundled service, the customers will rave about you both. Slam dunk.

Check the Results

During your partnership, regularly assess the goals you’ve set out to achieve. If you were looking to impact customer acquisition, brand visibility, or revenue for your business, use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the results. If you aimed for a $10,000 donation drive for that local charity organization, scrutinize your numbers. Pay attention to the customer reactions to your partnerships. Are your customers happy? Are reviews positive? If the partnership is successful, keep at it! If not, get feedback from your partner on how you can adjust for the future. Or, part ways amicably.

Business networking and partnering is almost always beneficial, but finding the right partnership can skyrocket you and your partner’s businesses into larger seas of client bases and new ideas. Your paths can be forged together through mutual respect with positive brand collaboration, targeting the shared needs of your clients. This time-honored, long-term strategy will make your community—and your brand—stronger.

For more expert insights on ways to build your brand, check out our Brand Booster!