THE EMAIL GROWTH SHOW EPISODE 157
Today, we’re diving into something that can seriously move the needle for your email list growth: collaborations! Specifically, we’re talking about how to find aligned partners to collaborate with – AND – what mistakes to avoid when using collaborations to grow your email list!
Now, collaborations are one of the most powerful list building strategies but here’s the thing – it’s not about sitting back and waiting for the perfect person to come to you. Spoiler alert: that’s not going to happen!
In this post, I’ll walk you through a proactive approach to finding the right partners – people who align with your values, goals, and audience. I’ll share how you can build genuine relationships that lead to incredible collaborations that will help grow your email list fast. So, grab your pen and paper, because you’ll want to take notes on this one!
Click play to listen to the episode in full below:
Why Collaborations Can Grow Your Email List Fast
Let’s kick things off by talking about why collaborations are such a game-changer for growing your email list.
I often say that collaborations are the shortcut to building your email list quickly, and here’s why.
When you collaborate with someone who already has an engaged audience that aligns with yours, you’re essentially getting access to a group of warm leads. These people already trust the person you’re collaborating with, and when that person recommends you, that trust transfers to you.
Think of it this way: You’ve probably tried social media and maybe even paid ads to grow your list. But here’s the truth: social media can be inconsistent, and ads can be expensive – especially if you’re not getting the results you want.
Collaborations, on the other hand, are based on relationships, which means they have the potential to build trust faster and provide higher engagement.
The magic happens when you find a partner whose audience has the same pain points, struggles, and desires as yours. This is what makes the partnership aligned. You’re not just reaching random people—you’re getting in front of an audience that’s ready to hear from you.
Mistakes To Avoid When Using Collaborations To Grow Your Email List
Before we dive into how to find aligned partners, let’s talk about what NOT to do when you’re looking for collaborators. This is important because I’ve made these mistakes before, and I don’t want you to waste time like I did!
Here are the mistakes to avoid when using collaborations to grow your email list:
The first thing to avoid is being passive.
You can’t just drop a post in a Facebook group saying, ‘I’m looking for collaboration partners,’ and expect people to come running to you. This approach is too broad, too vague, and it usually attracts people who aren’t the right fit.
Secondly, you don’t want to skip the relationship-building process.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is reaching out to someone cold with an immediate pitch for collaboration. Imagine if you received a message from someone you’ve never heard of, asking for something – how would that feel? It’s likely you’d be put off, and that’s exactly how others feel when you do the same.
Building a relationship should come first. Follow their work, support them, engage with their content, and let them know you care about what they’re doing. Only after you’ve built that connection should you approach them about collaborating.
Finally, don’t make the collaboration feel one-sided.
You need to ensure that both parties benefit from the partnership. When pitching a collaboration, be clear about how you can help them just as much as they can help you.
Now, Let’s Dive Into How To Actually Find Aligned Collab Partners
This isn’t about sitting back and waiting for someone to come to you – it’s about going out and making those connections.
1. Start with RESEARCH
You want to find people who share similar audiences or values. Start by following podcasts or blogs in your niche. Listen to their content and see if they’re speaking to the same challenges and goals that you are. Look at summits or bundles that people in your industry have participated in – these are often great places to find potential partners. Don’t limit yourself to social media – check newsletters, LinkedIn, podcasts and guest blog posts.
2. Leverage your network:
One of the best ways to find great collaboration partners is through your existing network. Reach out to people you’ve already worked with, or people you know in your industry, and ask if they know anyone who might be a good fit. Word-of-mouth recommendations are incredibly powerful, and it’s much easier to approach someone when you have a mutual connection.
3. Engage before you pitch:
This is key: engage with potential partners before making an ask. Comment on their posts, share their work, respond to their stories – show up as a real human being who genuinely appreciates what they’re doing. This will make your eventual pitch feel much more natural, because you’ve already established rapport.
4. Go deep instead of wide:
Don’t feel like you have to collaborate with dozens of people at once. Focus on finding a few high-quality partners who share your values and goals. Deep, meaningful collaborations will always produce better results than spreading yourself thin.
Pitching Collaborations the Right Way
Okay, you’ve done the research, and you’ve built up a relationship – now it’s time to pitch. But how do you approach this without feeling salesy or pushy – so it’s a win-win for both of you.
Here are a few ways:
- Personalize your pitch:
This is so important! Don’t send out a generic ‘Hey, I’d love to collaborate’ message. You need to show them that you’ve done your research. Mention specific things you’ve seen them post about or talk about that resonate with you. Show them that you’re not just looking for any collaboration—you’re looking for an aligned one.
- Focus on what you can offer.
When you’re pitching, don’t make it all about what YOU will get out of the collaboration. Focus on what you can bring to the table. Be clear about how your partnership will benefit them and their audience. A great example is: ‘I see that your audience loves learning about [specific topic], and I think they’d really benefit from my [resource/service]. I’d love to share it with them, and I’d be happy to promote [something they have] to my audience as well.
How Do We Turn These Collaborations Into More…
Collaborations aren’t just a ‘one and done’ situation.
Ideally, you want to turn these collaborations into long-term relationships.
Here’s how:
- Follow up.
After a collaboration, don’t just disappear. Send a thank-you email or message. Let them know how much you appreciated working with them, and be specific about what went well in the collaboration. - Stay engaged.
Even after the collaboration is over, keep engaging with their content. Continue to support them, and keep the lines of communication open. - Look for future opportunities.
Keep the door open for future collaborations. If the first collaboration went well, there might be opportunities down the road for more projects. Don’t be afraid to suggest future partnerships if the timing feels right.”
To recap, finding aligned partners for collaborations is all about being proactive, building genuine relationships, and offering value.
It takes time and intention, but the results are absolutely worth it.
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Full Transcript:
Kylie Kelly [00:00:00]:
You can’t just drop a post in a Facebook group saying, I’m looking for collaboration partners and expect people to come running to you. I’m saying this with so much love, but it’s a little bit lazy. And who knows what’s going to happen? You might get a response, but I can pretty confidently say it’s not going to be what you need. Are you a female business owner frustrated with battling the algorithm and looking for growth strategies that don’t involve awkwardly pointing or dancing online or throwing cash at paid ads? Welcome to The Email Growth Show. I’m your host, Kylie Kelly, visibility and email marketing strategist. I grew my email list from 0 to almost 10,000 subscribers in less than 2 years, and the same is possible for you too. Are you ready to build your email list and start making more money in your online business? Let’s head into today’s episode. Hello.
Kylie Kelly [00:00:54]:
Welcome back to The Email Growth Show. I’m your host, Kylie Kelly. And today we’re diving into one of my favorite topics, collaborations. Specifically, we’re talking about how to find aligned partners to collaborate with and what to avoid in the process. Now if you’ve been trying to grow your email list but feel stuck or frustrated with the results, this episode is for you. Collaborations are one of the most powerful strategies to grow your email list. But here’s the thing. It’s not about sitting back and waiting for the perfect person to come to you.
Kylie Kelly [00:01:28]:
Spoiler alert, that is not going to happen. Today, I’ll walk you through proactive approaches to finding the right partners. People who align with your values, goals, and audience. I’ll share how you can build genuine relationships that lead to incredible collaborations that will help you grow your email list fast. So grab your pen and paper because you’re going to want to take notes on this one. Okay. So let’s kick things off by talking about why collaborations are such a game changer for growing your email list. I often say that collaborations are the shortcut to building your email list quickly and here’s why.
Kylie Kelly [00:02:03]:
When you collaborate with someone who already has an engaged audience that aligns with yours you’re essentially getting access to a group of warm leads. These people already trust the person you’re collaborating with. And when that person recommends you that trust or some of it transfers to you. Think of it this way. You’ve probably tried social media and maybe even paid ads to grow your list. Now we all know social media can be inconsistent and ads can be expensive, especially if you’re not getting the results that you want. Instead of throwing cash to meta or wasting time pointing and dancing on social, collaborations on the other hand are based on relationships, which means they have the potential to build trust faster and provide higher engagement. The magic happens when you find a partner whose audience has the same pain points, struggles, and desires as yours.
Kylie Kelly [00:02:53]:
This is what makes a partnership aligned. You’re not just reaching random people, you’re getting in front of an audience that’s ready to hear from you. Now before we dive into how to find aligned partners, let’s talk about what not to do when you’re looking for collaborators. This is important because I’ve made these mistakes before and I don’t want you to waste time like I did. The first thing to avoid is being passive. You can’t just drop a post in a Facebook group saying, I’m looking for collaboration partners and expect people to come running to you. I’m saying this with so much love, but it’s a little bit lazy. And who knows what’s going to happen? You might get a response, but I can pretty confidently say it’s not going to be what you need.
Kylie Kelly [00:03:33]:
This approach is too broad. It’s too vague. And it usually attracts people who aren’t the right fit. Remember, we want aligned collaborations. Secondly, you don’t want to skip the relationship building process. One of the biggest mistakes people make is reaching out to someone cold with an immediate pitch for a collaboration. I’m sure you’ve already received a message from someone you’ve never heard of asking for something, whether it’s to come onto your podcast or to be in a bundle or speak in a summit or whatever it might be. It might be a great thing.
Kylie Kelly [00:04:02]:
But if you don’t know them, it’s likely to put you off. Right? Because you don’t have a relationship with them. And that’s exactly how others feel when you do the same. Building a relationship should always come first. Follow their work, support them, engage with their content. Let them know you care about what they’re doing genuinely. Only after you’ve built that connection should you approach them about collaborating. And finally, don’t make the collaboration feel one-sided.
Kylie Kelly [00:04:28]:
You need to ensure that both parties benefit from the partnership. When pitching a collaboration be clear about how you can help them just as much as they can help you. Now after listening to the start of this episode, what I would encourage you to do, firstly, think about the pain points, the challenges, the desires that your ideal clients have. Think about who you want to attract and keep that at the forefront of your mind when you’re thinking about people to collaborate with. We want to make sure that you’re getting in front of the right audiences. Right? Secondly, I want you to spend some time figuring out where your ideal partners, your aligned collaborators, might hang out. Do they have a podcast? Do you need to go on Apple Podcasts and have a bit of a search to find podcasts that are hosted by your ideal partners? Are they in Facebook groups? Would they be on LinkedIn? Wherever they are, I want you to do a little bit of research. I want you to find them.
Kylie Kelly [00:05:19]:
Join the groups or listen to the podcast. And then if it is a social container, like a Facebook group, instead of posting right away, I want you to start engaging with members by offering value and building connections. This can work really well even through Instagram stories. Right? If you’re on Instagram and you’re scrolling through, when you find somebody that would make a perfect partner to collaborate with, follow them, and then the next time they post an Instagram story engage with that story. Send them a DM, not to pitch them, but just to add value and build connections. Actually start a genuine relationship with them. Now this does take time, which is why I want you to start thinking of it now, writing lists, figuring this stuff out now so you can put the time in. So that when you’re ready to then ask them to collaborate with you, you have built that genuine relationship.
Kylie Kelly [00:06:04]:
Now let’s get into the proactive part of finding aligned partners. How do you actually do that? This isn’t about sitting back, remember, and waiting for someone to come to you. It’s about going out and making those connections. So how do we take action? Firstly, start with research. You want to find people who share similar audiences or values. Start by following podcasts or blogs in your niche. Listen to their content and see if they’re speaking to the same challenges and goals that you are. Look at summits or bundles that people in your industry have participated in.
Kylie Kelly [00:06:34]:
These are often great places to find potential partners. Don’t limit yourself just to social media. Check out email newsletters, LinkedIn, podcasts, and guest blog posts as well. Number 2 is leverage your network. One of the best ways to find great collaboration partners is through your existing network. Reach out to people you’ve already worked with or people you know in your industry and ask if they know anyone that might be a good fit. Word-of-mouth recommendations are incredibly powerful and it’s much easier to approach someone when you have that mutual connection. The third point here is engage before you pitch.
Kylie Kelly [00:07:08]:
The key is engage with potential partners before making an ask. Comment on their posts, Share their work. Respond to their stories. Show up as a real human being who genuinely appreciates what they’re doing. This will make your eventual pitch feel much more natural because you’ve already established rapport and built some form of relationship with them. And then lastly, go deep instead of wide. Don’t feel like you have to collaborate with dozens of people at once. Focus on finding a few high quality partners who share your values and goals.
Kylie Kelly [00:07:38]:
And also serve the same ideal clients as you. Deep meaningful collaborations will always produce better results than spreading yourself too thin. Now, after listening to all of this I want you to find 2 people that align with your business goals, that serve your ideal clients. 2 people that will make perfect aligned partners. Spend the next week, until the next podcast episode from me drops, engaging with their content. I want you to follow their work. I want you to share their work. I want you starting to build a connection and a relationship with these people.
Kylie Kelly [00:08:10]:
That is your action step so far. Now we’re going to move on how to pitch collaborations the right way. So now that we have talked about how do you find these aligned collaborators, how do you actually start to build a relationship with them, we’re going to talk about how to pitch them. So you’ve done the research. Right? You’ve built the relationship. Now it comes time to pitch, which I know can make a lot of people nervous. So how do you approach this without feeling salesy or pushy? Right? Step number 1 is to personalize your pitch. This is so important.
Kylie Kelly [00:08:41]:
It doesn’t even matter what you’re pitching here. If you were pitching to be a podcast guest, if you were pitching a PR thing, if you were pitching whatever, you need to personalize. And it’s the same when you are pitching somebody to be a part of something with you or to collaborate with you. Don’t send out a generic, hey, I’d love to collaborate message. You need to show them that you’ve done your research. Mention specific things you’ve seen them post about or talk about that resonates with you. Show them that you’re not just looking for any collaboration, that you’re looking for an aligned one. And then focus on what you can offer.
Kylie Kelly [00:09:14]:
When you’re pitching, don’t make it about what you’ll get out of the collaboration. Focus on what you can bring to the table. Be clear about how your partnership will benefit them and their audience. A great example might be, hey, I see that your audience loves learning about email marketing and I think they’d really benefit from my ‘your next 1000 collaborations’ guide. I’d love to share it with them and I’d be happy to promote something they have to my audience as well. Always make it about their audience and the value that you are providing. It’s all about making it a win win for both of you. Now the last thing that I wanted to cover is what next.
Kylie Kelly [00:09:49]:
So you collaborate with somebody. What happens then? Do you just move on to the next person? No. Collaborations are not a one and done situation. Ideally, you want to turn these collaborations into long term relationships, long term friendships. Right? So how do you do that? You follow-up. After a collaboration don’t just disappear. Send a thank you email or message. Let them know how much you appreciated working with them and be specific about what went well in the collaboration.
Kylie Kelly [00:10:15]:
I always love to share email snippets of the email I sent, how many clicks it got, any feedback I got from my audience about their free resource, let’s say. Whatever you can to show like, hey. I really enjoyed it. My audience loved you and I’d love to do it again. Right? Then stay engaged. Even after the collaboration is over, keep engaging with their content. Continue to support them and keep the lines of communication open. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve collaborated with somebody and then after that collaboration they’ve unfollowed me on Instagram or they have just disappeared.
Kylie Kelly [00:10:46]:
Like, I just don’t hear from them again. Don’t be that person. Please don’t be that person. We are building long term relationships. We are building genuine friendships here. So, of course, continue to communicate with them and engage in their content long after the collaboration is over. And then lastly, look for future opportunities. Keep that door open for future collaborations.
Kylie Kelly [00:11:07]:
If the first collaboration went well there might be opportunities down the road for more projects. Don’t be afraid to suggest future partnerships if the timing feels right. I’ll often send my podcast guests the email with the link to the episode and some promotional graphics, things like that. And in that PS, I’ll be like, hey. I loved interviewing you so much. I would love to collaborate again. Let me know when you know, let me know if you have something coming up that we could chat about, or let me know if something comes to mind that we could do next. You know? Just keep the conversation going.
Kylie Kelly [00:11:36]:
Okay. So I know that might have felt like a lot to go through. It was really my take on how to be proactive when finding the right partners to collaborate with. But I really hope that you found it helpful. I really hope it showed you that finding aligned partners for collaborations is all about being proactive, building genuine relationships, and offering value. It does take time. It does take intention, but the results are absolutely worth it. So here’s my challenge for you.
Kylie Kelly [00:12:02]:
You’ve already identified 2 potential collaborators. You are going to start engaging with their content. You’re going to start building a relationship. And when the time feels right I want you to pitch them a collaboration that benefits both of you. It might be a freebie swap. It might be to be in a bundle. It might be to be in a summit. It might be to be on each other’s podcasts.
Kylie Kelly [00:12:21]:
Whatever it is, make sure that it benefits both of you. It’s a win win for both parties. And lastly, if you want to dive deeper into how to nail your collaboration pitches and grow your email list faster download my free collaborations guide. It’s packed with strategies to help you get started. The link is in the show notes to grab it. If you have any questions you want to ask me about this episode feel free to send me an email hello at kylakellley.com or drop into my DMs on Instagram. I’m not on social much, but I do check my DMs so I will get back to you as soon as I can. I hope you enjoyed this.
Kylie Kelly [00:12:55]:
Thanks for listening and I can’t wait to hear about the successful collaboration partners that you fight. Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of The Email Growth Show. I hope you found valuable insights into the next steps you can take to grow your email list and boost your business without relying on social media or paid ads. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the show and share it with others. Your feedback helps me reach more female entrepreneurs just like you, who are ready to say goodbye to social media and leverage email marketing to grow their business and make a bigger impact. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
