Some things seem like they were made for each other. Wine and Cheese. Brad and Angelina. Summer and the Beach. Rock and Roll. Events and Publishing companies…

Now if the last pairing doesn’t necessarily strike you as being made for each other, then you’re in for a treat. Advertisers, in all forms, have learned the importance of leveraging their advertising buy by negotiating “added value” within the media. However, when there are minimal funds for advertising and multiple products to deal with, a more creative approach to working with the media may be in order.

That is where media partnerships come in. Pair a publisher with the same target audience as an event, and they seem tailor-made for each other. For the NO-cost of promoting the event on its various platforms, a publisher receives brand exposure through marketing collateral and visibility at the event, on the event’s website, through email, and so on. Media Partnerships add value to the company by creating awareness, gaining subscribers and potentially building long lasting relationships.

So now that I have that to back my “knowledge” up, I can tell you some of the ideas that work for me. The key to establishing a solid media partnership is to approach it as you would any other marketing partnership, as denoted in Marketing 101. It should be a mutually beneficial situation for both the publisher and the event and it should be customized carefully to extend the reach of both entities.

But let’s not sugar coat this, creating partnerships are all about the art of negotiation. Each side vying for the bigger slice of the pie. The usual approach for either side seems to be the “low ball” technique in which the opening offer is very minimal, yet what they’re asking for in return is much more comprehensive. Always stick to your guns and keep your goals in mind. Never set up a partnership with little room for improvement: no one starts a relationship not thinking it will grow, so if you feel this way about the partnership–don’t waste your time or theirs. If they’re asking for something you cannot offer, propose some kind of a solution and never leave them with a simple ‘no.’ ‘No’ is the kiss of death. In my book, ‘no’ shows a lack of creativity in thinking of an alternative.

Now this all may sound too generalized, but when dealing with deadlines, multiple brands needing exposure, and goals to reach, it’s necessary! Without your standards for the partnership, you’d be creating far too many to manage with little ROI. So treat your company like you would a child and always keep their best interest in mind.