Working with others – collaboration – sounds good, but you may wonder if it can really make a difference in your business.

Asked to share a tip on collaborating successfully, my colleagues were quick to weigh in. It’s a “secret” contributing significantly to their success.

I love how they don’t advocate any one specific collaboration strategy. Instead, they encourage you to stay open to its many possibilities.

Kelly McCausey
Be willing to take risks on other people.

Collaboration has been at the heart of my success from the very beginning. Collaboration gave me courage! Many projects I’m proud of have been made possible by partnerships and support from others. I’d have been too afraid to tackle all of the steps all on my own, especially in the early days.

Being successful at collaboration involves a willingness to take risks on other people. You have to ask and be willing to hear no or not right now from people you want to work with. You have to be open to invitations from others too – and take chances on those you don’t know.

So my collaboration tip is to be open, brave and willing to fail. I’m grateful for everything we entrepreneurs can create when we’re open to possibilities.

Kelly McCausey
Business & Mindset Coach
https://lovepeoplemakemoney.com

Karen Robinson
Allow your creativity to shine.

I love collaborating and networking! My personality and my career goals make collaborating an important part of my skill set. BUT, I believe ANYONE (even you!) can enjoy the many benefits of masterminding or collaborating with people with diverse skill sets. My very best tip for collaboration: Open your mind to new possibilities and allow your creativity to shine.

“Always be open to inspiration. You never know where it may come from. Begin with an open mind, end with an inspired heart.”
― Sheri Fink

Karen Lynn Robinson, LCSW
Trauma Recovery Expert
karenrobinson360.com

Paul Taubman
3 Tips for Successful Collaboration

If you’re looking to be a successful collaborator, there are a few things you can do to up your chances.

First, make sure you’re always communicating clearly and effectively. It’s essential to be respectful of others’ time and energy and to make sure you’re always on the same page.

Secondly, stay organized and don’t let things fall through the cracks. It’s important to be able to meet deadlines and keep track of tasks so that everyone can stay on track.

Lastly, remember that respect is key. Treating others with kindness and respect is essential to any successful collaboration.

If you can keep these things in mind, you’ll be well on your way to being a successful collaborator. Happy collaborating!

Paul B. Taubman II
Chief Online Strategist, Digital Maestro
www.DigitalMaestro.com

Jennifer Burke
Have the (key) pieces in place …  to quickly jump in.

Collaboration has been essential to my success as a solopreneur with an online business. Informal collaborations and brainstorming with colleagues in masterminds, on forums, and in groups always helps me to get out of my own head and see new ideas.

Collaborations in various formats have been the backbone of creating and growing my email community. I wouldn’t have an email community without collaborations like summits, bundles, giveaways or swaps!

Keep an eye out for opportunities to participate in events like these and have the pieces in place so you can easily and quickly jump in even at the last minute. This may mean having more than one free email opt-in gift or low-cost product ready to copy and submit.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to collaboration event organizers to ask questions, see how your offers fit with their theme, and even find alternate ways to promote the event if you don’t meet certain list size requirements.

And hey, consider hosting your own collaboration events to grow your community.

Jennifer Burke
Marketing Tech Coach
www.mightymarketingmojo.com

Amanda Myers
Be willing to step out and try something out of your comfort zone.

Growing your business is all about networking and collaborating. (You never know where a great idea is going to come from; my kitty sitter once gave me a terrific idea for a blog post.) It’s great working with fellow businesses whether local or international. In Kelly McCausey’s Stretch Yourself Challenge, I collaborated with lot of fellow business owners. They have helped me brainstorm many great ideas, and I loved bouncing ideas off others for inspiration.

A tip for collaborating is to be open to new ideas. Be willing to step out and try something out of your comfort zone. I am going to be speaking on a Podcast for the first time ever with Melissa Brown of She’s Got Content, talking about my new Social Media Stock Photo Membership and how my photos will help small business owners with DFY photo content.

Amanda Myers
AStylePhotography.com
CreateMeow.com

Robin O’Neal Smith
Organization and communication are a key component.

Collaborating should be beneficial to all parties involved. Some tips for productive and successful collaborations.

1. Make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what they are responsible for.
2. Make sure everyone is in agreement to share on social, etc., before they are part of the collaboration.
3. If possible, play to everyone’s strengths during the collaboration.  Let the person who is great with copy do the writing, the person who excels at graphics can create them, etc.
4. Announce deadlines and due dates early and remind everyone before the date.
5. Create blurbs and graphics for sharing on social so all collaborators can easily share the article without a major time commitment after it is published.  (If you don’t enjoy this task and someone in the group is strong with this, give them the job)

This success of a collaboration is as much organization and communication as it is the final product.

Robin O’Neal Smith
Freelance Travel Writer
Expert Contributor for TravelAwaits.com

This post itself is a good example of a successful collaboration.  My colleagues gain visibility, I get valuable content, and you have some great tips and direct access via links to these experts. 

I hope that these thoughts inspire you to step out of your own comfort zone and jump (or dip a toe) into the possibilities of collaboration.

If you’re still hesitant, perhaps wondering what you can do when you are just starting out or where you might find people with whom to collaborate, come join the Connect & Collaborate community on Facebook to get you started.