How to find your people

Hello marketing maestro,

You know that feeling when you walk into a room full of strangers and spot someone you know?

That warm fuzzy feeling of relief and connection in an otherwise awkward situation?

That's exactly what partnership marketing does for your audience. It introduces you to people who are likely to care about what you do, through someone they already know and trust.

The easy way to find your people

Here's the thing about building an audience from scratch: it's hard work. Really hard work.

Even when I first started writing online and building an audience back in 2013, I posted once a week consistently, and tried to show up everywhere. My audience grew, but slowly. (And it was a much easier game back then.)

I’d read a bit about guest blogging so I thought I’d give it a go.

I was already commenting on blogs in my niche, adding value where I could. It didn’t take much for me to drop those blog owners an email to see if I could write a post for them. 

I contacted every blog that aligned with my values and audience. These were people with bigger audiences than mine who were grateful for a break from constantly coming up with and pushing out their own content. They were happy to hear from me. 

I’d send something like this.👇️ 

Everybody I asked said yes. 

As was best practice, the blog owner always placed a short bio and a link pointing back to my website at the end of each post.

Suddenly, my email list started growing. I didn’t have to wait for Google’s algorithm to accept and love me. I didn’t have to wait for the daily grind of social media to pay off – it was pretty much instant.

And these weren't just any subscribers – they were people I’d already built some trust with, and who the blog owners they already followed had endorsed.

While guest posting on other people’s blogs is still a thing, this is nearly 2025. Partnering with another org or creator today might look something like:

• Being a guest on their podcast

• Hosting or co-hosting a webinar

• Being interviewed for their newsletter

• Giving them a resource to share with their audience

Finding the right partners

The key to partnership success isn't about finding the biggest audience, it's about finding the right audience. Here's what to look for:

🤝 Shared values and ethics

🤝 Complementary offerings 

🤝 Engaged audience (better to reach 100 engaged people than 10,000 scrollers)

What people get wrong 

Here's what most people get wrong about partnerships: they think too transactionally. ‘I'll promote yours if you promote mine’ might work for a quick boost, but it won't build lasting relationships or engaged audiences.

You could ask others if they’d be up for link  swaps, but if you do, don't just drop links – share a little about why you value each other's work. 

When sharing your expertise with someone else’s audience, make it super valuable. Solve a problem, however small, that the audience faces.

You might even want to create something together. Maybe a guide, a workshop, or a resource that serves both your audiences. Make it so good that people can't help but consume and share.

OK, how do I do this?

When you’ve found someone who’s a good fit, begin with these four simple steps. 👇️ 

1. Comment thoughtfully on their social posts

2. Share their content (with genuine insights added)

3. Join their community and contribute meaningfully

4. Reach out when you have something specific to offer their audience

Build relationships before you ask for anything in return. The best partnerships grow organically from genuine connections.

Remember: your ideal audience is already out there, following people and brands that align with their values.

When you switch from thinking you need to build an audience on your own to partnering with the right people to borrow and build together, life just gets easier.

If you have something super valuable to share and want to borrow my audience, hit reply and let me know – I'd love to hear from you.