magic1host.com/blog

Within this article I want to discuss strategies on how to build relationships with your mentors and possibly future joint venture partners. If you want to be able to eventually work with and learn from these world-class mentors, building a relationship with them is key. What I am going to discuss with you are very easy and cheap – they will cost you nothing – ways to build those relationships with your mentors.

Firstly, this is the clincher. Make sure you write it down in capital letters in bright red marker. Participate. That is the word you have to write down. When given the opportunity, participate.

When I first started, nobody knew me from a fly on the wall. The first time that I went to the John Childers’ Million Dollar Speaker training, he taught me a very important lesson in business. He said, “It’s not what you know or who you know. It’s who knows you.”

What I’m trying to get through to you is to get known. Your mentors will give you opportunities to ‘participate’ so make sure you take advantage of it and they may turn into future joint venture partners.

Here is a few ways you can participate. Give feedback on anything they are asking about. Whether it be feedback on a new project, or answering a question they asked to their email list, give it. Ask them questions. Participate in everything you can. It’s logic – the more you participate, the more they are going to get to know you and, which is very crucial.

This is another one, and so many people underestimate this: Provide testimonials. And I’m not talking about “normal” testimonials either. I’m saying make these testimonials the best testimonials you have ever given, and then send them a picture that they can use.

In fact, send testimonials even when no one has asked for them. Do you know how many times I have done that and then been put up on their websites? This is a strategy that I learned from Alex Mandossian.

When I first got started in this business, every single website I seemed to go to, Alex Mandossian was there giving a testimonial. Do you know how effective that strategy was for him?

It was only later talking to him I found out that by putting up testimonials on other people’s websites he was getting all kinda of leads and business to his own website. This example should show that you really have to learn how to give good testimonials and give them even when they aren’t being asked for.

Being specific and relevant to a measurable benefit is an example of what a good testimonials should include.

A quick example of a good testimonial could be heard from a gentleman who was one of the winners of a testimonials contest for a recent teleseminar of mine. What was so good about it was that he made sure he included his name, where he was calling from and gave a specific benefit that he received from the teleseminar.

When you give good testimonials it will get posted on people’s websites and when you send a picture along with it, it is likely they will also include your website link. By having your information on other people’s websites it will help you generate traffic, which will only benefit your business.

Two, it also helps build the relationship with your mentors/future joint venture partners.

Another strategy is to participate in forums. A lot of people have their own forum or there is all different kinds of forums online on just about every topic.

Seek out forums that you want to participate in, doesn’t matter if you’re in that market or not. You can write about anything you really want in these forums – give lots of tips, resources, content. It is all about getting yourself known.

The other thing I want you to do is read people’s newsletters and scour those newsletters for important and personal insights and details.

Here’s some things you should constantly look for. Any birthdays, whether it be the specific person who writes the newsletter or their wife, husband or even their kids. Look for birth dates and then send them cards or a happy birthday E-mail, or perhaps even an audio postcards.

Anniversary dates is another thing you could look for, or when they are doing big product launches. Find out anything you can by reading their newsletters then use that information to build a relationship with them.

Another suggestion to help build those relationships with your mentors is to look to offer help to them. By just asking the simple question, is there is anything you can do to help them in your business, you will not believe the response you will get.

For example, if you know they have a big even for their business, like a seminar or product launch, you could offer to help specifically with that. By doing this they will know that you’ve been paying attention to their business. Also, you’ll surprise them with your offer and you will stand out from the crowd for doing so.

I’ve sent information that I believe would be of value to my mentors as well. My goal is always to build good relationships with them. These strategies are not rocket science and are so easy to do, just no one does them.

Whatever you find that makes you think they could use, send it to them. I’ve sent articles that I thought they could use, newspaper clippings. Off-line and on-line tools is another thing I look for. Any web links that would help their buisness. All I do once I find something is shoot them an email saying, “Hey, I think this might be of value to you.”

One thing you want to make sure you don’t do is include affiliate links or anything like that. Focus on only sending them information that will be of value to them.

Your focus is on building a relationship and providing value – not making a quick buck. They’ll see right through that and you’ll ruin any chance of a long-term relationship.

The strategies I have listed in this article are all ones I have used and have been able to leverage those efforts into building great relationships with my mentors, and future joint venture partners. From that all different kinds of projects have sprung up with these people. If you just focus on building a foundation with your mentors it is amazing what can come of it.

Filed under: Marketing