The internet is a huge place and there’s plenty of room for all of us making a living online. If you’re worried about collaborating with “your competition” think again. One of the best things you can do is make friends with other online business owners in your niche.

Start By Figuring Out What You Can Do For Them

There’s nothing worse than getting a pitch email from someone you don’t know. You don’t like getting them and the person you’re sending them to is no different. And quite frankly it’s not how you make friends in the online business space. Instead, look at some of the people in your niche that you would like to connect with and figure out what you can do for them

It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or that you don’t have a big reach yet. Start sharing good content they put out and recommend them to your audience. Take the time to write a meaningful comment on their blog post or in response to a Facebook post.

Shoot them an email if you notice that their website is down or there’s a problem with a broken link. Be genuinely helpful and it will be noticed.

Cultivating Mutually Beneficial Relationships

Once you’re on the person’s radar, it’s time to start cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship. This can take a lot of different forms. You may guest blog post on each other’s sites, become a podcast guest, contribute a chapter to their latest book or even create a product together.

Or maybe you just have fun public social media conversations that help both of you reach a larger audience. And of course, becoming affiliates of your respective products and doing some mailings is always a popular option.

Frankly, it doesn’t really matter what you do exactly as long as it benefits both of you. If your list is significantly smaller, offer to do more of the leg work. Make sure the other person walks away feeling good about the collaboration.

Grow Your Reach And Make Friends

As you start to make friends, your reach will grow. But it doesn’t end there. The people you’re meeting can help introduce you to other players in the market. And of course, you shouldn’t stop seeking people out on your own either. Combine both approaches and you will continue to make more friends, grow your reach, and grow your business.

Last but not least, it’s a lot more fun to work on your online business when you have friends who not only “get” what you do for a living, but are there to talk shop, encourage and exchange ideas. You’ll learn a lot and have a blast all while growing your business and your bottom line. The Small Biz Society offers such a networking space as well as participate in masterminds and boot camps.

Hey, share your thoughts and ideas directly in the comments. You never know how your words will connect with others that visit my site. Remember, being a business owner doesn’t mean you have to do it alone 🙂