Collaborating with local businesses enhances workshop growth by expanding audiences, boosting credibility, and fostering innovation through joint events, cross-promotions, and shared marketing efforts.
Very often your customers would want to do more than your experience. They would want to visit a restaurant nearby to celebrate some occasion or visit some exhibition next to your workshop.
Another option is that if a larger group wants to come to your workshop but you can't have that many people at the same time, it’s very common to create a collaboration with another workshop close by and divide the group.
In both scenarios, having a strong collaboration with local businesses will result in mutual growth and more happy customers. There are many more benefits for collaboration with other local businesses around your workshop this blog will cover!
Both you and the other business invests a lot in your marketing.
Whether it is paid ads, a nice social media account or any other marketing activity you are investing in. If you collaborate with another workshop or restaurant around you you can double and triple your potential audience.
When you are new, collaborating with a well known restaurant/cafe around you will enhance the credibility of your new upcoming business.
You know all the in or outs of your own business, collaborating with other business owners can create some new ideas together. For example 5% discount for a cafe next door for your workshop participants.
It's very common for Monkeybook’s customers that they are doing joint events. For example a glass blowing studio hosting a beer making workshop.
The group can split in two and swap between the stations.
The marketing audience and effort is shared between the glass blowing workshop and the beer making workshop! They all can promote the workshop through their newsletters, social media or in-store advertising
Setting up referral incentives for local businesses to send customers your way, and vice versa. A small discount is usually doing the trick well.
Offering special deals that combine your workshop with another business's product or service. It will be perceived as getting more value.
Complementary businesses are those that offer products or services that naturally fit with what you offer, without directly competing with you.
Examples:
1. If you run a pottery workshop, a local art supply store or a home decor shop could be a complementary partner.
2. If you have a Glass blowing studio in an amazing secluded location, a collaboration with a neighboring restaurant could be really great!
3. A culinary class might collaborate with a gourmet food shop or a local farmer's market.
To identify complementary businesses, consider the customer journey and what other products or services your clients might be interested in before, during, or after attending your workshop. Look for businesses that can enhance the overall experience for your customers.
For the success of the partnership it is important that you and to partners business
values align. For example, if you do a wellness workshop, partnering with the next door kebab stand, might not be a great idea for any of you. You probably target different audiences and it will just create some confusion about your brand.
Examples:
A. A wellness workshop might partner with a yoga studio or a local health food store, as they both cater to health-conscious consumers.
B. An eco-friendly craft workshop could collaborate with a sustainable clothing store or a zero-waste shop.
Use their social media is it was your’s for a few posts. Invite the partner to your experience or activity and let them post a genuine positive review on to their customers.
Create blog posts, videos, or podcasts that feature both businesses together and talk about what brought you to work together (shared values!)
Pooling resources for local ad campaigns or community sponsorships or just paid marketing for the “look alike” crowd.
Partnering to host larger events, maximizing turnout, while splitting costs.
Speculo - Is a glass blowing studio in a secluded place in Caesarea port. Many of their customers are couples that are celebrating something special. They often call and ask about a bundle or a recommendation for a restaurant. The owner of Speculo went to a few restaurants he likes and asked if they mind being featured in speculo’s website as recommended. Of course they agreed. Moreover when companies do glass blowing studio Speculo’s owner often uses those restaurants as caterers as a complementary upsale for company events!
Another example is a Clay workshop, a popular clay workshop, partnered with the nearby tufting studio. They invited each other to participate in private workshops and shared warm recommendations on their social media channels.
This collaboration expanded their reach and strengthened their ties within the local community, highlighting the power of mutual support.
Collaborating with other local businesses is a powerful way to grow your experience or activity, enhancing both your reach and your customers' overall experience. By sharing audiences, boosting credibility, and innovating together, you can create a stronger, more vibrant community around your workshop. Whether through joint events, cross-promotions, or simply sharing resources, the benefits of collaboration are immense.
Don’t wait to start building these valuable connections. Reach out to local businesses that align with your values and customer base, and begin exploring ways to collaborate today.
Your next big opportunity might just be a conversation away!
Work less, grow faster