Michel has had a lot of success with JVs, and knows what he likes. “In general, I like it when people offer me something that ties very, very well with what I do -- whether it involves copywriting or marketing. For instance, my main goal in every JV is to make my subscribers' lives easier. It must be relevant to my list and me. I want to do deals where, although it might not necessarily be specific to me, it would serve my list very well."

Show your potential JV partners how your project can make their life, or lives of their clients and subscribers, easier, more convenient and/or more profitable, and you'll have much greater success.

Tip #4 – Show Them More Than The Money

Don’t let that famous line from movie, “Jerry McGuire,” fool you. Not everyone interested in doing business wants you to “Show me money!”

Michel says, “If you offer me something and first thing you tell me is that I can make money with deal, I'm not interested. Making money should be natural byproduct of doing right service for my clients. My favorite JVs are ones that most benefit my clients. The commission is just a fringe benefit to me, not a direct benefit."

Chip suggests that your primary objective when approaching someone to do a JV must be to establish your value. “If you don’t establish your value, people will have no use for you,” he said.

This goes well beyond telling them how much money they’ll make.

Here are Chip’s three ways to establish value:

1. Offer to do something your potential partner cannot do.

2. Offer to do something your potential partner will not do.

3. Offer to do something your potential partner does not want to do.

“If you can do any of those three things, you immediately have value,” he said. “If you have value in a stranger’s eyes, he/she will think you’re worth getting to know. If you don’t have value, why would they care? Why do they need you?”

Tip #5 – Give Before You Receive

Best-selling author Bob Burg, www.BobBurg.com, says there is one thing that all people who are incredibly successful at building relationships have in common -– they give.

“In fact,” he says, “people who are rich financially, spiritually, emotionally, physically and socially are biggest givers. They are always asking, not ‘What can he/she do for me?’ but ‘How can I help him? How can I add value to her life? Who can I introduce him to that he can help and/or who can help him?'"

As Chip says, “Your goal should be to help others. If your only goal is to help yourself, you’ll become known as a ‘taker,’ not a ‘giver.’ Givers have greatest success, and they typically give out of a heart of giving, not out of selfishness to enrich themselves.”

In summary...

Of course there are several other things that will increase your odds of JV success, such as having a unique product or proposal; doing most of work yourself (making things as easy as possible for your JV partners); and being patient and persistent without becoming a pest.

But for greatest chance of succeeding with your JVs:

1. Don’t Let Fear of Rejection Hinder Your Efforts

2. Focus on Relationship, Not Just Deal

3. Address Their Interests, Wants & Needs

4. Show Them More Than The Money

5. Give Before You Receive

It worked for me, and it will work for you, too!

For more insights into building your business, check out Bonnie Lowe's new ebook, "Networkaholics Revealed! True Confessions From People Who Networked Their Way to Success (And How You Can Do the Same)" at Networkaholics-Revealed.com.com

Ideally both partners in a business transaction want something other has to offer, but not too much. If you are small business drooling at prospect of large order from an attractive client at a time when your sales are down, be careful. You are likely to have difficulty setting boundaries and give away too much.

In order to stand firm in your negotiation, you have to have a firm sense of your worth. Fake it if you must. Refuse to make any decisions on spot if you don’t feel that you can trust your judgment under pressure.

Some clients, like some boy (and girlfriends) turn out to become demanding or difficult.

A designer is asked to perform a small, routine job. The client is not satisfied and asks for modifications. The designer complies. The client asks for more modifications. The designer complies. The designer complies. The client asks for more modifications. The client asks for more modifications …

This seemingly small job is quickly becoming costly. It is eating up designer’s time and preventing him from working on other business.

Like a woman strung along forever by a partner unwilling to commit, this designer has to set boundaries with his client.

At this point, he can try to renegotiate terms of his transaction to get additional money for his time. But if client is unwilling, designer has to decide between expending more time and effort into satisfying a difficult-to-satisfy client, or walk away from job.

By setting boundaries, designer can limit his losses in this not-uncommon situation.

Self-Employment 101: It's about making a living and creating a life! ... Observations, information and resources for those of us who are self employed or just thinking about it.