First off, make yourself a quick list of local people or businesses who might be great partners. Here are some ideas to get your brain buzzing:

– Gyms, personal trainers, or wellness coaches

– Other healthcare pros (not competitors!) —dermatologists, dentists, physios

– Boutique clothing or accessory shops

– Hair salons or beauty salons

– Local beauty bloggers or influencers

– Skincare and cosmetic brands

– Medical equipment suppliers

And a little secret – don’t forget you can always use tools like ChatGPT to help brainstorm ideas or even suggest specific contacts in your area!

Secrets of what makes a good Collab?

1. Find businesses with similar clients. You want to work with folks whose customers match the people you want to see walking through your door.

2. Stick with reputable brands and people. Partnering with well-loved, trusted brands will boost your own credibility — more trust equals more clients.

3. Get to know your potential partner Book a session or consultation with them to see what they do firstly. Sometimes easier doing this initially if you are not like most of us overly confident approaching strangers. It’s a great way to make genuine connections and see how your services could fit together.

4. Exchange goodies, but aim for more – It’s great to swap business cards or flyers, but the real magic happens when you co-host an event, run a joint giveaway, or create bundle offers. That’s where your clients see real value and I would definitely go down the route of co- hosting an event.

You don’t have to think really big, unless you want to!! You could do a themed event eg/ wellness event targeted at middle age women if that’s who you are trying to target.

5. Get involved in your local community. Sponsor or attend local health fairs, charity runs, or markets. It’s a brilliant way to get more eyes on your practice.

6. Join local groups and Chambers of Commerce –

Getting involved in community networks can really help you raise your profile and attract more clients — the more visible you are, the better!

Jessica one of our course delegates not so long ago was telling us about a collaboration she had with a nearby massage treatment studio. They co-hosted an evening event for their customers and potential customers which went down a storm, a special package was created and promoted “Relax and Renew” combining a skincare treatment – a peel with a massage and a discount was applied. They also spent time training staff members to recommend the other’s services to clients, and aesthetic practitioner suggested a relaxing massage as aftercare and massage studio recommended the skin treatments for clients looking who are tired, stressed and more youthful appearance. A loyalty programme was implemented too.

This partnership resulted in:

• Increased customers – 30% increase in sales for both companies

• Expanded customer base & exposure to each others customer base

Let’s do it

If you aren’t already collaborating with other businesses, give it a try or if you are already collaborating keep going and think out of the box too!

If you’re just starting out or in the early years and it all this sounds a bit daunting or you just want to bounce some ideas around, I’m here too!

Drop me a email or give me a call carolyn@inspiredcosmetictraining or 0141 638 4098. I’d be happy to chat, brainstorm, or just share some friendly tips on how to make collaborations work for your business.