In this article I want to talk about developing relationships with joint venture partners/mentors. It is very important if you are looking to learn from high, world-class mentors, and work with them in joint venture projects. These are some low-cost - actually zero cost - ways to develop relationships with these types of people.

The first thing - make sure you make a note of this, underline it, circle it, make a star beside it. Participate. That’s the word I want you to write down. Whenever your given the opportunity - participate.

When I first started, nobody knew me from a fly on the wall. The first time that I went to the John Childers’ Million Dollar Speaker training, he taught me a very important lesson in business. He said, “It’s not what you know or who you know. It’s who knows you.”

What I’m trying to get through to you is to get known. Your mentors will give you opportunities to ‘participate’ so make sure you take advantage of it and they may turn into future joint venture partners.

Here is a few ways you can participate. Give feedback on anything they are asking about. Whether it be feedback on a new project, or answering a question they asked to their email list, give it. Ask them questions. Participate in everything you can. It’s logic - the more you participate, the more they are going to get to know you and, which is very crucial.

This is another one, and so many people underestimate this: Provide testimonials. And I’m not talking about “normal” testimonials either. I’m saying make these testimonials the best testimonials you have ever given, and then send them a picture that they can use.

Even if they don’t ask for one, give it. So many times I’ve done this and it ended up on their website, even though they never asked me for one! Alex Mandossian taught me this strategy.

When I was just starting out in this business I noticed that almost every website I visited had a testimonial from Alex Mandossian. Can you guess how effective that strategy was for him?

It was only later talking to him I found out that by putting up testimonials on other people’s websites he was getting all kinda of leads and business to his own website. This example should show that you really have to learn how to give good testimonials and give them even when they aren’t being asked for.

You have to give testimonials that are specific and relevant to the material you are talking about.

For example, one of the testimonial winners for a teleseminar of mine recently was awesome. He stated his name, where he was calling from, and one specific benefit that he got from the call.

That is how you get your testimonials posted on other people’s websites, and when they post your testimonial with your picture, there’s a good chance they’re going to post your website link as well, and that helps you generate traffic and advertising and all kinds of benefits.

Not only is it benefitting your website in the long run, it is also another way to develop relationships with your mentors/future joint venture partners.

Another strategy is to participate in forums. A lot of people have their own forum or there is all different kinds of forums online on just about every topic.

Whatever market you’re in, find forums that you can participate in and provide as much content, tips and resources as you can. The point is to get yourself known.

The other thing I want you to do is read people’s newsletters and scour those newsletters for important and personal insights and details.

Some things you want to keep your eye out for is any birthdays. It doesn’t matter if it is the person who writes the newsletter or their husband, wife, even their kids. If you can find out their birthdays, send them a car or happy birthday E-mail, or even an audio postcard.

Use these important dates to build up your relationship with them. Any dates from their anniversary to product launch dates are all things you should be looking for and making a note of.

Always look to offer help to your mentors or future joint venture partners. You wouldn’t believe the response that you will get when you ask somebody if there’s anything that you can do to help them in their business.

When asking if they need help, it will work even better if you ask to help with something specific you know they have coming up in their buisness. If they have a product launch, or seminar, or anything really, coming up and you ask to help them with that they will now known you’ve been paying attention to their business. This will not only surpise them, but will make you stand out and become a memorable name in their mind.

Another trick I’ve used is to send some information to these people that might be of value to them. Look to constantly build a good relationship with these people. These strategies are not rocket science. These are simple strategies, but nobody uses them.

Anything I come across and think it would be of value to them, I send it their way. Articles that they could extract from, website links, resources online. Even off-line tools and newspaper clippings work. All I do is shoot them an e-mail saying, “Hey, I think this might be of value to you.”

However, when you send links NEVER include any affiliate links or anything like that. Just sending them information that would be of value to them.

Making a quick buck should not be your focus - it should only be on building a relationship and providing them value. If you have other intentions they will see right through you and you will ruin any chance of building a long-term relationship.

The strategies I have listed in this article are all ones I have used and have been able to leverage those efforts into building great relationships with my mentors, and future joint venture partners. From that all different kinds of projects have sprung up with these people. If you just focus on building a foundation with your mentors it is amazing what can come of it.