Connective marketing describes two or more organizations partnering specifically to coordinate and reinforce each other brands. Together is better! The expected result is to expand their market reach and growth capabilities. The aligned organizations benefit by leveraging reputations, awareness, and marketplace penetration so that both can engage in new opportunities. To execute properly, both entities align the stories that they deliver to their individual target markets and subsequently attract each others’ audiences to their consistent messaging. In turn, both entities increase their market reach to audiences that have already have an appetite for the message.

Group Conversation
But, how is growth created? The plan is that one set of messaging is now spreading among two separate audiences and engaging additional listeners. A similar message now reaches two audiences instead of one for the benefit of each organization. The communication dynamics now feature a two-to-two group discussion versus two independent one-to-one discussions. Group discussions are now created which are far more broad, interactive, and interesting than a singular conversation.

More interactive conversations provide opportunities for more ideas to emerge. Expanding communication facilitates exchanging more ideas, in turn yielding more opportunities to identify solutions that solve problems and create value. It is like a dinner party with two couples versus two individuals. Practically, the collaboration can involve a vendor and its leading customer sharing booth space at an industry event. They can articulate to the marketplace how much richer their individual businesses are through their cultural partnership. Likewise, it can involve a non-profit organization partnering with a corporation at a community event clearly articulating how their joint resources create additional tangible value for the community and specific customers. Together they serve a community through a well-funded collaboration that emotionally and financially benefits the greater good.

Influence or Reach
In either case, both organizations increase their presence into areas that primarily belong to the other partner. Both influence and reach increase for both organizations. Opportunities to serve and deliver solutions increase because the market benefits from a larger collaboration that leverages more resources through aligned cultures. Optimally, both parties are intentional in creating cross-selling opportunities, in addition to telling their audiences that cooperatively they have more resources to satisfy the market in very specific instances.

Connective marketing creates relationships that emphasizes and rewards cultural alignment. From a marketing perspective, consistent imagery describes the available benefits from working with the team. To maximize reach each entity receive incentives to refer businesses within the partnership. Success depends on both entities having enough trust that individual needs will be met while sharing new relationships with the other party. Like any initiative the results must surpass the effort. The partners measurably combine contributions and share results. Tactically, they explicitly establish and accomplish predetermined goals.

Connective marketing like any initiative works successfully when each party creates more value for themselves and their partner. Essentially, connective marketing unites customers, vendors and ancillary service providers on multiple levels so that a hungry market selects from a broader menu of resources and offerings. The collaboration results in more financial and reputational benefits for all involved. Customers prefer to join winning teams. So, find a culturally aligned partner who wants to share their market influence and reach to create more value. Significant growth is waiting.

By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond