•Looking for organisations and individuals who share same values as you

•Ensuring you enter arrangement with their success in mind, not just yours

•Being prepared to not lead every initiative

•Looking for partners with complementary products and services

•Identifying gaps in your own knowledge, skills and experiences and seeking partners to ‘fill’ these

•Not expecting overnight success

•Being prepared to foster a long-term mutually beneficial arrangement

Will following these steps guarantee success and remove all potential for conflict?

Obviously not.

However, following these steps is core in demonstrating a genuine desire to work with others, to support each other in growth and development.

Remember, too, that establishing such arrangements is likely to be just one element of an overall sales and marketing plan for you or your organisation. Even if you have an excellent partner, or partners, marketing efforts individually and collectively remain important.

I you are an independent professional, or a small service organisation, you might benefit from Free Marketing Plan Workbook from Action Plan Marketing, which you can download HERE.

I have found enormous personal and business benefits from establishing quality partnerships, and I hope you enjoy similar successes.

Mel Dunn is Managing Director of Global Business and Development Solutions, which works with individuals and organisations that are committed to business success and the success of others. We work globally and locally and focus on providing sustainable solutions for our clients.

For more information and inclusion in OAIMA mailing list, contact OAIMA at 162 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, OH 43230. Call: (800) OH-ROCKS / (614) 428-7954; fax inquiries to: (614) 428-7919. Visit Statehouse Museum Shop for an Educational Ohio Mined Rock Set Gift, also available online at www.statehouseshop.com

SIDEBAR:

FAST FACTS

Group members in OAIMA promote awareness of industry throughout community. Neighborhood groups, school children, media, and legislative representatives – nearly everyone can benefit from learning, “If it can’t be grown, it has to be mined.” So group helps educate with facts like:

AGGREGATE QUICK FACTS ·There are 95,000 Tons of Aggregate per 1-mile of 4-lane highway ·There are 11-tons of Aggregate and Industrial Minerals for Each Ohio Resident ·The Average Home Requires 106 Tons of Aggregate ·The Average School or Hospital Requires 15,000 Tons of Aggregate

OHIO’S CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATES ·Natural aggregate – 4th Nationally ·Limestone – 4th Nationally ·Slag – Top 4 (2nd in Steel Manufacturing)

OHIO’S INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ·Clay and Shale – 5th Nationally ·Sandstone and Industrial Sands – 2nd Nationally ·Salt – 5th nationally ·Cement – Overall Ohio is 10th Nationally in Aggregate and Mineral Production

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Media Notes:

1.Patrick A. Jacomet, Executive Director of OAIMA is available for interviews and speaking engagements. Contact him at:

Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Minerals Association 162 N. Hamilton Rd. Gahanna, OH 43230 Call: (800) OH-ROCKS / (614) 428-7954 Fax: (614) 428-7919 http://www.oaima.org rocks@oaima.org

2. Ohio Mined Rock Sets, great to use as promotional pieces, are available upon request for media. Contract Patrick Jacomet (above in #1) for sets. Photo and description online at Statehouse Museum Shop: http://www.statehouseshop.com/browse.cfm/4,1353.html