Successful Brand Partnerships Are About More Than Profit
Today, when people hear the word “brand partnership” they immediately jump to the world of influencer marketing and social media content creation.
But, high-quality brand partnerships are more than marketing strategies aimed at catching a target audience (or at least they should be).
The Big Benefits of Brand Partnerships
Sure. A co-branding partnership gets your name and product out there to new audiences, but the best partnerships do more than build brand recognition. The right collabs create meaningful relationships and make a real impact. It’s more than pushing new products and finding new markets, because consumers can sniff out inauthentic placements in a heartbeat.
This recent interview with Renovation Hunters and Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods shows a great brand partnership in action.
The Right Brand Partners Become Old Friends
Target markets and marketing metrics are only part of the equation – you can’t forget the human element!
Big businesses like the Goliath, McDonald’s, and small businesses like your local corner store are all staffed with people who value – heck, need – relationships.
The best types of brand partnerships aren’t just contracts between entrepreneurs and content creators. They’re friendships between people and organizations who come together and make more than a marketing campaign.
Brand Collaboration Leads to Real Impact
The best brand partnerships are a win-win for everyone – including the community.
Our partnerships with other brands and non-profit organizations are made to make a difference. They’ve always come from a shared mission. Whether we’re on a podcast talking about sustainable forestry practices with Amy Shields from the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, working with local organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank or remodeling homes with This Old House, we’re out to make an impact with people who understand our vision.
When we partnered with Renovation Hunters, we did so because they share our most important values: a love of the outdoors and a belief that everyone deserves a place where they feel at home. We’re proud to be a part of impacting so many families and become a small part of their stories.
It Can Build Trust and Customer Loyalty
Sure, a good brand partnership spreads brand awareness. But, the QUALITY of that awareness is important, too.
Your partnership should do more than just introduce your company to a new customer base. It should be something that earns their trust. Of course, demographics and brand outreach are important when it comes to a TV content partnership, but the person-to-person authenticity can’t be overlooked.
Instead of borrowing a TV show’s values (which is most often the case for brand/program collaborations), core beliefs need to be shared – and that’s the basis of our partnership with Renovation Hunters.
The families we meet become part of our family, too. And, those relationships are better than any media kit or case study could ever be. We like to let people know what we stand for while also making a difference!
How to Find the Right Partners
In a world where social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn have taken over the way we talk to each other, it can be hard to find a potential partner that’s authentic and in it for the right reasons. But, it is possible – you just have to know what to look for.
Strong Brand Values
Great brand partnerships grow out of shared goals. Believe it or not, you can even see it in the world of big business.
GoPro and Red Bull’s partnership is inspired by their shared values of adventure. Nike and Spotify’s sponsorship of the Make Moves Fund comes from shared values about the power of music, movement and concern for young girl’s health.
When it comes to us, we look for brands with a sense of community and a deep appreciation for our natural resources. We’ve had many great partnerships grow out of these values, and they’ve allowed us to do more for our community than we could do on our own!
A Shared Mission
Whether you’re a startup collaborating on a webinar or a big corporation partnering with a national nonprofit, efforts always work best when they’re united behind a shared mission.
Find a group that aims to impact a common cause – it’s a win-win.
Growing a great brand partnership based on these two things means you can’t just pluck another company’s name out of a hat or pick your brand partners based on the number of likes they have on Instagram.
It means you have to sit down, talk and really get to know each other. This can take time – but trust us, it’s worth it.
Beyond Brand Partnerships
Of course, brand partnerships introduce you to new audiences, but the real magic happens when they go deeper than that.
Beyond buzzwords like influencers and content creators, brand partnerships are about people coming together to do something that’s meaningful and authentic – something more than slapping two logos next to each other and calling it a day.
The best brand partnerships aren’t business deals – they’re friendships. That’s the basis of our journey with Renovation Hunters; we’re not just renovating homes, we’re bringing families together by creating spaces that they can share for generations to come.
