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Competing with your JV partners

by WarrenHT
4 replies
Hi folks,

I hope I can word this question correctly, as the Title already doesn't sound 'right'...

I was then thinking about the IM world (I don't really consider myself an online marketer, this is a conceptual question for me), and was thinking about many of the 'big guns'. They are often all selling variations of the same theme.

If person A has a business selling 'how to do whatever', why would he or she JV with person B who is basically also selling 'how to do whatever', just packaged differently? Are they not essentially direct competitors?

If I was going to become an SEO guy, for example, why would other SEO guys want to JV with me - regardless of product details, price, etc.... isn't there concern for 'losing' your own customer, when in the same space?

I hope that makes sense. Thanks!
#competing #joint ventures #partners
  • Profile picture of the author Matt Wolfe
    I have an opinion on this...

    There's no such thing as competition in educational niches... There's competition in software and services but not in education...

    For example... If I'm going to attempt to learn to golf, am I going to go out and buy one golf book and then say "this is it, I won't learn from any other resources!"?

    Of course not... If I've got my mind set on learning something I'm going to learn from several sources and take in several different view points on it.

    I cross-promote other WordPress training sites occasionally and I've never seen it as a big deal. People want to learn the information... They can learn it from me AND someone else, they can learn it just from me, or they can learn it from someone else... In any scenario, I'm going to make a cut of the sale...

    Just my thoughts on the topic...

    Matt
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    • Profile picture of the author WarrenHT
      Originally Posted by Matt Wolfe View Post


      For example... If I'm going to attempt to learn to golf, am I going to go out and buy one golf book and then say "this is it, I won't learn from any other resources!"?

      ...
      Thanks for your thoughts. To stick with your golf example, I completely understand why you, as a customer, will purchase more than one book. If you were selling a how to golf book, would you do a JV with someone else who is also selling a how to golf book?

      I know you mentioned getting a cut, in regards to the WordPress training, so does it just boil down to economics in the end? A good enough offer to the JV partner (with a given being the content itself is up to standards), and that's it?

      My background is not in the online marketing world, so the idea of selling a competitors actual competing product to my own customer base is one I am still wrapping my mind around....
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      • Profile picture of the author Matt Wolfe
        Originally Posted by WarrenHT View Post

        Thanks for your thoughts. To stick with your golf example, I completely understand why you, as a customer, will purchase more than one book. If you were selling a how to golf book, would you do a JV with someone else who is also selling a how to golf book?

        I know you mentioned getting a cut, in regards to the WordPress training, so does it just boil down to economics in the end? A good enough offer to the JV partner (with a given being the content itself is up to standards), and that's it?

        My background is not in the online marketing world, so the idea of selling a competitors actual competing product to my own customer base is one I am still wrapping my mind around....
        The trick is to not think of information marketing as competitive. You don't have competition. You have other people that are selling information in the same niche... But it's not competition.

        Never assume that you're going to be the only resource that your customers are going to learn from in a niche. If you find other programs that you think will help your customers, in most cases, they will appreciate that you shared it with them.

        Price is never a factor for me. The biggest factor is always how much it will help out my customers. I'll promote free blog posts if I think it will be really helpful and I'll promote $1,997 training courses if I think they are helpful.

        I'm also in the mindset of "what can I share that will help out my customers and increase their goodwill with me"... Help people accomplish their goals and the money will follow...

        Matt
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      • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
        Banned
        Originally Posted by WarrenHT View Post

        If you were selling a how to golf book, would you do a JV with someone else who is also selling a how to golf book?
        Why not? For this to be a problem you would have to assume that you both had the exact same talents, sold the exact same information, in teh exact same way, and had both targeted the exact same audience.

        Possible? I guess. Likely? I'd wager no. Sticking with the golf example: you might know how to drive 350 yards, but have a crap short game. Your potential partner might be an expert putter, but have no power. You two would complete each other, and have no reason (or grounds) to compete. Neither of you can do the exact same thing the other can do.
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