When you own a business, it can be easy to focus on competitors. We suggest, however, to consider how you can collaborate, not compete, with other businesses. Here are ideas:

Connect: First, get to know other owners. Drop by to say hi or invite them for coffee. If you have a few like-minded business owners in your circle, you could even schedule regular group meet-ups.

Cross-Promote: Help spread the word about these neighboring businesses. Keep business cards on your counter, share social media posts, and send customers to them.

Partner: There are many ways you can actually partner, too, such as:

· Events: If you’re physically close to each other, host an event together, like a block party. If you’re far, you could do a pop-up, when one business sets up at another for a brief period of time. 

· Contests: Encourage customers to visit both businesses by having a contest, where they get a certain discount or gift if they visit both. 

· Products: Depending on what products you sell, you could use or sell each other’s items. 

Here are examples of great Venango Chamber member collaborations:

· Artist’s Attic shares social media posts from other businesses.

· Mike Dill – State Farm Insurance Agent, gets staff lunch from local restaurants regularly. 

· Trails to Ales brews beer from coffee from local coffee shops.

· The Barnard House sources ingredients from local businesses for their guests’ breakfast.

· Oil City Eye Associates takes their team to tours at local businesses.

· Scierka’s Tavern in Oil City sells beer from local breweries.

· Iron Furnace Coffee sources local ingredients from Core Goods. Core Goods also plans to sell their coffee beans once they begin to wholesale. 

These were business collaborations we could think of off the top of our heads–we know there are MANY more happening in our region. The more we work together, the better our business community can be. We suggest you consider how you can collaborate with other businesses today!

Pictured: Breakfast at the Barnard House made with ingredients from local farms/businesses

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s November 2022 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.