It is usually much easier to ally yourself with one company in particular and then find partners for them than it is to be a "matchmaker" - usually, that is.



If the company has done joint ventures in the past, than half the battle is already won, and you will likely have success by simply pitching a quality deal.

At any rate, once you have both potential partners ready to go, you'll want to make sure that you position yourself as a crucial element within the partnership. If necessary, have both companies sign an agreement that protects your position as a broker within the deal. Do this before the companies "know" each other.

Appoint yourself as the manager of the JV (if possible), so that it's execution will depend on you in the beginning stages. This will make it easier for them to understand why you're going to be taking a substantial cut of the money made from the partnership.

Additionally, you'll need to educate both of your "clients" in regards to backend profits, "lifetime value of a customer", viral marketing and so on. They need to understand that the up-front profits made initially from the JV - especially in endorsement deals - are only the very beginning of the profit to be made from the arrangement over the long haul...

How?

Tell them that you're a marketing consultant, and you're looking to build up a strong portfolio by helping other businesses succeed - and that you're only willing to work for a percentage of an increase in sales, or free to begin with (until you pitch the JV).

Once they see the value and validity of your advice, they'll trust your decisions. At this point, they'd probably welcome your JV proposal with open arms.

This process doesn't have to take a long time. It might not even have to take more than a few hours. The bottom line is that if you see that there is some real, proven potential in this company's product or client base, then this "proving time" will be more than worth it for you in the end...

Now, once you've solidified yourself as an ally with this company, you can then basically repeat the process with their potential partners, and so on.

Note: This strategy isn't necessarily applicable to every situation - but the principle behind it is. Build trust by being truly helpful, and clearly explain that you will only earn a percentage of the sales that you generate directly.

If you encounter any opposition along the way, make sure that you emphasize the following key points:

? This deal wouldn't exist without your direct interdiction

? You're shouldering all the risk, it's a risk-free, no-cost, all-profit deal for them

? The profits from the JV are additional profits that they would NOT have seen if it were not for your concept

? You are streamlining the process of the JV; while it's true that it is their hard-earned resources being leveraged, their resources are only worth what your expertise can generate. This is important to mention...

As for the mechanics of the joint ventures themselves, they operate exactly the same way as any other JV, except that you're simply managing the process.