It’s February, which makes us think of love, romance, and relationships. When it comes to growing your small business, a strategic B2B partnership is the most important relationship you’ll enter into. When you think about it, B2B partnerships aren’t that different from romantic ones. They both require shared values, patience, and a willingness to compromise. Much like romance, in a successful B2B partnership, the two parties are stronger together than they are apart. When you partner with Wish Local, coming into the relationship with the right frame of mind can mean the difference between a soulmate and a bad date. Read on for our six tips on how to keep the sparks flying in your B2B partnership.
Focus on the benefits
Every relationship, business or otherwise, needs to be mutually beneficial in order to be successful. However, mutual benefit requires some compromise and concessions from both sides. Increasing foot traffic is one of the most costly problems facing retail businesses. Many store owners spend thousands of dollars each year advertising on Google and social media, trying to get new faces in their door. Wish Local is a rare program that not only brings new customers into your store, but pays you while doing so. Remembering these overarching benefits when you’re facing a long line of package pickups keeps the big picture in perspective.
Have the right attitude
We’ve polled some of our highest-earning Wish Local partners, and they all agree that attitude is key. Every single person who comes into your store has the potential to become a loyal customer. If you see each encounter as an opportunity rather than an obligation, you’ll find greater success in the arrangement. Wish considers each Wish Local location as an equal partner, and we’re constantly polling, interviewing and soliciting feedback to improve the program for both sides. Stores who see themselves as equal stakeholders in Wish Local are the stores who make the most from the program.
Strive for total buy-in
All relationships take a personal investment to work, and that’s certainly true of a B2B partnership like Wish Local. Success with Wish Local comes when you and your team commit enthusiastically to all aspects of the program. This means not limiting package pickup hours or refusing to stock certain Wish inventory. The more you participate, the more foot traffic and sales conversions you’ll see. Buy-in also means that every member of your team is on board with the partnership. When your staff is well-trained on everything from scanning in orders to pickup, you’ll enjoy even more customer satisfaction and sales.
Share resources
At the core of any successful B2B partnership are shared goals and resources. This can be brand awareness, marketing resources, or even merchandise. In the case of Wish Local, the heart of the program is client-sharing. Wish’s community of users is our most valued asset, and when you join Wish Local, we’re entrusting them with you. In return we hope you’ll spread the word about Wish. In fact, we’ll pay you to do so!
Keep an open mind
With over 90 million monthly active users around the globe, Wish shoppers come from every walk of life, and each individual may or may not align with your vision of an “ideal customer.” Just as in any customer population, Wish shoppers have good days and bad. With the increased foot traffic, it’s important to keep an open mind with every customer who walks through your door. You cannot gauge a customer’s spending habits and buying needs on their appearance. You never know where your next big sale will come from.
Practice open communication
Any relationship takes patience and hard work. When you begin a B2B partnership, it’s unlikely to be perfect in its first iteration. Wish Local is committed to hearing feedback from its store partners as the program grows and expands. Stay connected with Wish Local by joining your region’s Facebook group where you can discuss the ins and outs of the program with Wish and fellow store partners. Read the Wish Local blog regularly and respond to surveys and polls as they come.
Are you ready to couple up with Wish Local? Learn more here.
