If you run a business that provides an essential service for small businesses, there is an easy way to increase your B2B revenue streams without having to onboard more clients. That way is by referring your clients to other businesses who sell the products and services you do not offer, for a small referral fee.
Years ago, I was selling my home and moving to another city about an hour away. My real estate agent pulled together a list of top-rated real estate buying agents in the city I was moving to and provided them to me at no extra charge. I was quite impressed with this additional level of service he had provided.
Little did I know, at that time, that he was also getting paid a percentage of the commission fee that referred agent was making just for generating the referral. Was it less than he would have made if he had done the work himself? Yes, absolutely! Was it extra money that he was able to make for a very simple process of providing referrals? Yes, definitely!! Should other businesses take a page out of that playbook and create partnerships that generate additional revenue through relevant referrals? Yes, without a doubt!!!
As a business service provider, you support a particular need for your clients. From accounting to graphic design to website design and beyond, you love what you do and you do it well.
Although a business has limited needs for a specific service, you can increase your B2B revenue potential – and your working relationship – with your clients by establishing creating trusted, strategic partnerships with other businesses that could assist your existing clients with their other business needs.
For example, perhaps you are a graphic designer who is creating an entire set of branded materials for a client.
If you don’t want to tackle the hassle of printing and delivering these materials to your client, you can connect with a professional printer such as PsPrint to handle the printing for you and deliver it direct to your customer. Your client gets professionally printed materials, you get a commission on the sale.
How Graphic Designers Can Partner with Printers to Generate Additional Revenue
Some graphic designers will place the order themselves, to make sure everything is JUST right, and then have the order drop-shipped to their customer.
Others will simply provide their referral link to the customer so that they can pick the quantity, finishing materials, and other options that they feel best suit their business needs. Either way, you earn some additional revenue for a function you were likely going to perform anyway.
How Web Designers Can Partner with Other Business Product Providers
Or, perhaps, you are a website designer who is creating a new e-commerce website for your client. As part of that design process, you’ve agreed that it is important to refresh their logo, change the color palette, and update their fonts.
As a result of those changes, that client is going to need new business cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, retail packaging, and other marketing materials to match their new brand.
Or, maybe, you don’t enjoy the process of designing a logo and would rather outsource that to another trusted team?
By partnering with a company such as Deluxe or referring the client to a DIY service like LogoMaker, you can pass these duties on to someone else while still holding onto the additional revenue opportunity.
Many graphic designers agree that they for some of the smaller design projects, they would far rather take a small commission than spend their time on the extra hassle and the increased workload for a small-ticket design item.
How Accountants Can Generate Additional Revenue Through Strategic Partnerships
Or, perhaps, you are an accountant and you see easy yet important ways that your client can streamline their business operations.
Maybe they need a proper payroll system? Perhaps they need to utilize an electronic payment method that works for their business so that they can finally stop writing paper checks? Or, maybe they need to incorporate their business for tax reasons.
By recommending a trusted business partner who performs these services through a strategic partnership, you help your client focus more time on their own business while reaping the rewards of a powerful referral program.
How Business Coaches and Consultants Can Significant Increase Their Client Revenue
One of the best opportunities for strategic partnerships belongs to business coaches and consultants. They are, by definition, hired to help companies maximize their business potential. Part of that process is – invariably – finding new solutions from outside vendors to improve processes, generate additional income, and reduce expenses.
If you’re going to recommend a company anyway, it’s almost a waste to not do so through the proper referral process so that you – as a paid consultant – can maximize your client earnings.
The above are just a few examples of how business service providers can utilize affiliate and referral revenue to generate additional income. And the best part is that none of these referral processes cost your client a penny!
In fact, as a strategic partner, you are often given access to exclusive discounts and promotions that you can pass on to your clients. And they will love you for it!
Earn More Money While Doing What You Do Best
It is quite likely that you – as a business services provider – are already recommending products and services to your clients based on their unique needs. Perhaps you are doing it because of your own positive experiences with those brands.
Or, perhaps you are doing it because of their unique reputation in that specific area. But if you can find a company that offers expertise, experience, AND an additional revenue stream for your business, everybody wins!
Of course, it’s important to trust the company you are partnering with to be able to provide quality products and amazing customer service.
A bad referral can damage your reputation with clients, and nobody wants that!
How Deluxe Partners with Business Services Providers to Increase Their B2B Revenue
One such a company that runs one of the best B2B affiliate referral programs is Deluxe.
They offer a wide range of products and services including their professional printing services through PSPrint, to retail packaging offered at Bags & Bows, to business services including payroll, logo design, and their proprietary eChecks electronic payment options.
These kinds of services can help your clients make the most of their business, and help you greatly increase your own B2B revenue opportunities for your company through referral commissions.
Do what you do best. Let others do the rest!
Learn more about the Deluxe affiliate referral programs:
Deluxe manages several small business brands, each with its own dedicated affiliate partnership program. Here’s a handy guide to what each program offers:
- Deluxe Business Products – Everything from business checks to promotional merchandise
- Deluxe Business Services – Essential services to start, manage, and grow a small business
- PsPrint (a Deluxe company) – Custom, high-quality printing solutions
- My Corporation (a Deluxe company) – Professional document filing including incorporation services and tax IDs
- LogoMaker (a Deluxe company) – A DIY logo design service which is perfect for start-ups and small businesses
- Bags & Bows (a Deluxe company) – Packaging solutions create a professional look for retailers
I have worked with the Deluxe affiliate team for many years, and they are – by far – one of the most professional and easy to work with teams that I have ever encountered. Which is important, when you are trusting another company to work with your hard-earned clients!