How often do you sit back and think about all of the wonderful connections you have in your life?
I don't know about you, but I'm blessed enough to know some pretty incredible people. In today's episode, I enjoyed speaking to one of my good friends, Shelley Coates. Shelley and I have been friends for going on thirteen years or so and working together for just over a decade. About ten and a half years ago, Shelley, Missy Smith, and I started a blog. And let me tell you, we had no idea what we were doing.
The world of blogging can be pretty darn daunting. It takes a LOT of work and continued effort before you see results in the form of revenue. But somehow, Shelley Coates and I managed to keep this crazy level of hope. We imagined how even just a small amount of increased income could dramatically change our lives. And that hope bonded us as friends and business partners.
Shelley Coates has a total superhero power. She has the fantastic ability to make relationships work. I wanted to bring her on and talk about the elements that make a great business partnership, whether it's with a friend, spouse, or total stranger. She also has some wonderful insight into how to form great relationships with influencers.
If you've been looking for advice for forming strong and long-lasting business relationships, keep on reading or check out this week's episode below!
How to Be the Peacemaker in Your Business
Shelley Coates' top tip for peace in business is to keep the love! Some people are naturally wired to be non-confrontational so they might have it a bit easier in this department, but overall this is definitely a learned skill. There's always going to be disagreements in business. Anytime there is money involved (or just passionate effort), there will be differing opinions.
We each bring a different set of values and beliefs to the table, and those standards invite room for variety and varied modes of thought. It can be a great thing but also an uncomfortable and potentially hurtful thing as well.
The key here is to remember that you catch more bees with honey than vinegar. Be mindful of how you're interacting with your business partners and work hard to always to approach them from a place of peace and understanding.
Every perspective is valid. Even the ones you may disagree with. It's important to remember that we are not always right about things, and above all else, it's essential to nurture your ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes.
When Does Shelley Coates Say Yes?
Building strong business relationships means truly understanding and knowing your audience. Who are you building this relationship with? What are they like? What do they value?
A big part of what Shelley Coates does in our business is to act as the first point of contact. When businesses approach us, she is the person who says yes or no. Companies constantly reach out to our blog, offering sponsorship and affiliate opportunities, and while on the surface, that seems exciting, it takes work to weed through the duds. We don't want to promote products that don't align with our audience's wants and needs.
Getting Shelley's attention requires getting personal. She doesn't bother looking at any spam emails but will always open an email referencing a recent blog post or message that resonates with the brand we've built.
Clarity Is Key
The goal is to have a two-sided relationship. When it comes to working with affiliates and influencers, Shelley Coates stresses the importance of having a mutually beneficial relationship. She brought up a real-life example that worked for us to illustrate this. Promoting gardening seeds. It sounds pretty random, but those seeds did extraordinarily well with our audience. It doesn't matter that the product seems random or far-fetched as long as it CONNECTS. We blog about gardening pretty often, and it's something a lot of our readers value.
When you're trying to make that connection, make it clear why you think that product will do well. Paint the picture for them. Maybe you consider making a great how-to video using the seeds that would attract a lot of attention. Explain the earning potential.
You'll often find in affiliate relationships that those affiliates want you to be their guinea pig. They present an opportunity where you earn x amount as long as you sell x amount of product. Honestly, that dynamic usually ends up being a big waste of time. The best business relationships are formed when you can give exact numbers. Clear data leads to expected results, and that makes everyone happy. Always strive to be as clear and concise as possible.
Shelley Coates' Favorite Way to Sell Other People's Products
The strongest relationships are built on authenticity. It's no different when it comes to business relationships, so before Shelley Coates ever speaks a word about someone else's product, she must have it in her hands. It's important to have time and experience handling and using the product and know that it's something you stand behind. Half of the time, people send over their products, thinking they will get reviewed simply because they sent them.
Shelley Coates is super clear that her favorite product partnerships are ones that have no strings attached. She isn't obligated to say anything about the product unless she actually loves it.
Expanding on that thought, it's also so important to work with the right influencers. You want to take inventory of the product and decide who would be the best messenger for it. Find people who do great work connecting with their audience and come across as very likable. Also, take the time to pick the right niche. If you're looking to promote educational products, then look for an influencer in the homeschooling space rather than beauty and wellness. It's all about making the best connections possible.
My Top Takeaways From Shelley Coates
- You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
- Everyone's perspective is valid.
- Speak nine positives about somebody before you get in the negative.
- 5% of people are downright difficult. You can choose to focus on the 5%. Or you can focus on the 95% that is oozing goodness!
- Your email titles matter.
- Have a good product.
- Tell the influencer why your product is a good fit for them and for their audience.
- Tell them the earning potential.
- Get your product into your influencer's hands.
- Follow up and make sure to say thank you.
