What a great time to band together with business associates and complementary businesses to advertise. If you haven't done so, right now is the perfect time to build up a support team of like-minded companies and entrepreneurs. Here's some ways to get started, and some ideas for cooperative marketing:

1. Join your local chamber of commerce (here in Cherokee County, our chamber is exceptional, and exceptionally active!). If you already belong to the local chamber, consider becoming a member of the chamber for the next town, city or county nearest your business.

2. Join a networking or leads group. We belong to SECBN, Southeast Cherokee Business Network. They meet each week to network and share referrals (and some members meet to drink coffee and socialize). This specific group is exclusive meaning there's a limit of one business per industry classification, so if you're interested in this group, contact us, and we'll give you more info.

3. Join a community or city business association. We belong to both the Downtown Historic Canton Association. They are fairly new and were designed to promote business growth in their respective downtowns and to boost the existing businesses. These groups are a great way to meet new people and to give something back.

4. Once you've made some connections, meet for coffee, lunch or dinner to discuss your companies, your challenges and your successes. A one-on-one meeting will give you a chance to learn about other the local company's needs and also to see who might be open to cooperative marketing.

5. Be a consumer. Use each other's services, give each other referrals, give each other reviews.

6. Start cooperating. Plan an event together, place an ad together, share reciprocal links on each others' websites, display and/or hand out each other's literature, do a direct mail project together.

These are just a few ways to get involved in the community, get to know more business owners just like you, and get to share the costs - and successes - of advertising through cooperative marketing. Call Inspired 2 Design for more ideas at your FREE 1 hour consultation.