You don't have to be a corporate giant to take advantage of partnering. Say you're a builder. If a business like Home Depot is coming to town, you may think they don't need your help.
But actually, this is the perfect time for your approach. Your construction workers are on-site building houses. You could display signs at these sites stating, "This house built with Home Depot products by Joe Smith Construction."
As an added bonus, your company and Home Depot could partner with a furniture store and offer X amount of furniture with the purchase of the house. The furniture store and Home Depot could have an in-store display, send out mailers or even shoot a commercial. All three businesses would be mentioned in all of these scenarios.
With a third partner, your sign could say, "Joe Smith Construction Built This Fine House With Home Depot Products. Purchase this house and receive $5,000 in free furniture." Your logo as well as Home Depot and the furniture store would be featured on the sign.
A pet store could even team up with a veterinarian. Your promotion could be, "Take home any kitten or puppy and receive 25% off vaccinations. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)."
An automobile dealership could partner with an auto service center. Together, they could jointly produce a newsletter with tips on car care and feature info on current cars for sale. You could also have a page filled with coupons for an oil change, radiator flush, set of tires, etc. The auto dealer might want to consider special offers like no money down or no payments for 90 days.
The partnering possibilites are endless. You keep more of your ad dollars but get increased advertising exposure.
Partnering offers an excellent opportunity, regardless of how many years or even months you've been in business. With a little creativity and even less money, partnering can help establish your business and generate added revenue for your pockets.