Ask Nicole: Responding to Partnership Requests
I’ve touched on engaging with prospective clients here. Today, let’s focus on responding to partnership requests.
Partnerships looks differently depending on your industry. For me, a partnership is working with someone or an entity to oversee a project for a client.
Being co-investigators on a research study, co-designing and leading a program evaluation, designing or updating a program’s curriculum, or co-facilitating a webinar series are what typically come to mind as partnerships for me.
As I’m approaching the 5th year anniversary of running my business full-time (!!!), I’m taking stock of where I’d like to see my business go in 2021 and in the next 5 years. I’m thinking about my personal goals and the shifts I’m making, and I want my business structure to reflect these changes.
As a result, partnerships have been heavy on my mind.
There are many reasons why you may want to move into a partnership, including:
- Having a thought partner (similar to having a co-worker)
- Increased capacity to take on larger, more complex projects
- The chance to work with someone with a skillset, resources, and expertise you can leverage (and vice versa)
Prospective partnerships come to me similarly to how prospective clients find me, and my reasons for declining a partnership request aren’t far off from how I decline a client request.
What makes my process for agreeing to (or requesting) a partnership differs from a client request based on the prospective partner’s reputation AND if I’ve gotten to know this partner over time. I’m more likely to agree to a partnership when there’s already an established connection and rapport, if the partnership makes sense, and if the opportunity feels like an “absolutely yes!” moment.
Still, building relationships are paramount when accepting or declining a request. Along with what I’ve shared, I have other criteria that are top of mind when accepting or declining a partnership request. Use the questions below to determine whether to consider a partnership or approach a potential partner :
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