The Power of Strategic Partners

Hello all you Powerful Ladies,

My apologies for the delay since the last blog.  A quick update on the kindergarten scene, the twins are now successfully receiving lunch every day and Mom, kids, and teachers have all reached a very peaceful existence. 

As I was debating on the topic for my next blog, I found myself in need of qualified referrals for my next class.  At the suggestion of a very wise woman (thank you Honoree!), I decided to reach out to my own network & strategic partners to request assistance with these referrals.  In doing so, I was reminded that not every Powerful Lady is building, nurturing, or utilizing strategic partners.  In fact, some of you may be wondering exactly what is a strategic partner.  For the sake of simplicity, a strategic partner is your referral partner.  They are the folks that understand the value of the service you provide and are regularly seeking ways to refer you business.  A good strategic partner is worth their weight in gold because they are intentional about finding you business.   For any of you Arizona Women's Networking members, Gia is a great example of a strategic partner.  Gia spends time each day learning about the value proposition of each member's business and (this next word is key) actively referring qualified leads to her strategic partners.  As you may have guessed, in a strategic partnership both parties (that means you) are spending time each day referring one another business. 

For many of us it is often easier to refer a stranger to our strategic partner than to ask the same stranger to do business with us.  For that reason, every Powerful Lady needs several strategic partners.  I recommend doing an assessment of the service your provide and finding at least a dozen strategic partners in synergistic industries.  If you are a member of a networking group, seek out the women in complimentary industries.  Look for people that you like doing business with and whom you would whole-heartedly refer to your closest friends. 

Once you find your strategic partners make a commitment to nurture these partnerships.  Make it a part of your daily routine to intentionally seek ways to refer business to your partners.   You also must make it easy for your partners to assist you by being intentional in asking (sound familiar?) your partners for exactly what you need.  If you are a commercial real estate broker looking to help tenants analyze their commercial leases, ask your strategic partners to send you leads anytime they hear a c-level  mention the cost of rent or space.  If you are changing practice groups at your firm, make sure your strategic partners know about your move and understand what your new ideal client profile looks like.  Strategic partners are there to work for you.  But, if you don't ask for what you need, you will not receive.


Another great benefit of strategic partners is the pure joy it will bring you.  One of the greatest pleasures in the business world is helping other professionals succeed.  This is also one of the easiest and fastest ways to grow your business as a grateful strategic partner is a powerful marketer! 

If you are in need of a strategic partner, send me a note, I am always happy to help other people grow their businesses.

Until next time- Powerful Ladies Unite!