Regardless of your profession, business, and/or area of expertise, here’s a truism – the fastest way to get a lot more accomplished, more quickly, is to partner with others. In every walk of life and discipline, the sum of the parts tends to outperform what can be achieved through solo runs

Of course, if you’re a lone operator with a message you want to share offline and online, it can seem easier to plough your own furrow.

After all, isn’t it a bother to have to fritter away time listening to, or worse still heeding, other people’s opinions, agendas, or priorities when creating content?

And while the answer is often yes, there’s a material downside to adhering to a mostly ‘solo’ mindset…

…With only so many hours in the day, there will always be a limit to what you can achieve on your own – regardless of the power that may lie within your messages or why others may be drawn to your voice and opinions.

But, what if you could keep the upsides of being your own boss and still find ways to add real zip to your platform and reach by working with others? Wouldn’t that be cool?

Of course. And that the topic for today’s expert interview when I had the chance to delve into how an awesome partnership has emerged between the Irish food blogger, broadcaster, author of Food from an Irish Garden and the Freddy Buttons series, Fiona Dillon and the Marketing Director of the award winning and hugely progressive Irish dairy producer Glenisk, who boasts specialist knowledge and expertise in business communication, strategy, and branding, Emma Walls.

Lean in to hear fascinating insights shared at the recent Follow the Recipe event, created by the ever enterprising Amanda Webb and Lorna Sixsmith of We Teach Social, about: how a successful collaboration was born, is now destined for international success, and what you can learn from their example of a win-win partnership.

Why Collaborations Can Instantly Amplify Reach For Your Words

Listen in as we discuss:

• Why stories about a goose, 2 pigs, and the good life (Irish style) won so much attention
• A realisation about the buttons Freddy Buttons would likely bring, unless…
• Why potential business partnerships should pass the ‘extended family’ test
• On being hooked, ideas that fit, stories with legs, and a business perspective
• Why it pays to research and find the tangible before approaching potential collaborators – Proof that the long way around can sometimes be your shortest way home
• The commercial imperative of spelling out and recognising value
• How daring to dream and saying it out loud can be a winning combo
• Why applying stories to brands can bring them to a new level of appeal
• The power of figuring out your reason for being on social media channels from the get go
• The danger of being impressed by views ahead of sales
• Compatibility considerations for potential partnerships
• Why you should let your imagination run free while keeping a calculator handy!

Your Turn

If you’ve dabbled with collaborations – how did they pan out?

Did they exceed or fall short of your expectations? And, based on your experiences to date, what advice would you give others about setting up partnerships that are more likely to succeed?

And…One More Thing: Here’s Your Ticket to Being Heard And Remembered

I’m delighted to announce that ‘How to Make Powerful Speeches 2nd Edition – A Step-by-Step Guide to Inspiring and Memorable Speeches’ is now available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CN10OS

Get your copy today.

Learn how to conquer speaking anxieties and what it takes to give confident, polished, and persuasive talks.

This book will help you to discover how to transform your speech making abilities; helping you to inspire others with your ideas, every time you take to your feet.