The entity created when two businesses, individuals, corporations or other legal participant join forces for strategic reasons is called a joint venture, or JV. Joint ventures can be very beneficial for small businesses looking to grow their customer pool, or larger businesses seeking innovation or new ideas. To create a successful JV, both parties must approach the situation with a certain degree of gravity.

If you rush into a joint venture, at best you will be wasting time and money -- or at worst you could destroy the business you've worked hard to create. To avoid these pitfalls, you must choose the right partner, create a shared vision and make sure you stick to an organized business plan.

Your choice of partner is probably the most important aspect of creating a successful JV. It's very important that you know your partner well and are confident that they are a trustworthy person or organization. It can be all too easy to get sucked in by a smooth talker who promises you a huge list of client contacts or millions of dollars practically overnight. Don't let your heart's desire run away with your mind's better judgment. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

If possible, do a little research on the person or company you're considering partnering with. Look at their past business relationships and ask for references and a resume. It's best to ensure that they will deliver on their promises before entering into a contract.

While it's important that you know your business partner well, it may also be a bad thing to know them too well. Joint ventures with family members or close friends may not be wise. For one thing, if things go bad, you run the risk of losing your business and your personal relationship. In addition, because you know the person so well, you may be tempted to skip important steps, like creating a business plan and drawing up a formal agreement. As a result, in the end, you may find that you didn't have the same goals or understanding at all.

Just like in a marriage, it's good to look for a partner that balances your prominent traits. Maybe you're good at keeping financial records, but you have trouble thinking of creative marketing campaigns. Look for a partner who can add some pizzazz to your joint venture. In turn, she might not be the best bookkeeper, so your skill set will compliment hers as well.

Defining your goals and vision is also vital to creating a successful JV. To aspire to a goal with another person, you must both understand what that goal is and how you can attain it. If your partner thinks your goal is to make a million dollars your first year, but you think the goal is to donate $500,000 to charity it's unlikely you will work very well together for long. It's impossible to reach two conflicting goals simultaneously.

Maintaining proper books and adhering to the business plan can make or break your JV. To start, write out a clear business plan that lines out your expected achievements and benchmarks for getting there. The plan will also define each partner's responsibilities.

As much as you might want to keep your partnership friendly, you must create a formal, binding contract. This document will keep everyone on safe legal footing if their responsibilities are called into question.

In order to establish a successful joint venture, it's necessary to exercise self-control and time-management. Don't try to do too much all at once. Starting a new venture takes time and effort. At first, you most likely will not be able to focus on two projects at once. Before starting a new business venture, make sure you have the time and space in your life to properly focus on your new efforts.

With a good partnership with defined goals and values, strong organizational skills and a little time and effort, starting a joint venture can be very rewarding. In fact, it could be one of the most effective ways to increase your revenues. Just remember to research and do your homework to figure out how to make your joint venture work for you. Lazy Internet Marketing (Justins Website) is our recommended resource for Internet Marketing including Joint Venture training on the Internet.