You'll often hear that freelancers lead a lonely life. If this is true, then it is usually by choice. Today you live in a world where a freelance professional can make business contacts around the corner, across the country or on another continent. And, make no mistake; these contacts, and the sometimes resulting strategic partnering, are as important to you as they are to huge conglomerates.

You need to develop and nurture long-term business relationships if you are going to succeed in your freelancing career or home-based small business.

The ideal partnerships will be:

Chosen for mutual benefit.

Choose those you will partner with wisely. As you interact with your vendors, your clients and your online and local business acquaintances, be alert to those with which you feel comfortable. Maybe they have similar outlooks or business ethics. Maybe they provide a service or a product that compliments yours. What you are looking for are businesses with which you can establish relationships that will be mutually beneficial to all.

Developed for the long-term.

This is especially true in relation to vendors from which you contract services, such as printers or graphics designers. When you use the services of those who have done a good job for you in the past, you save time and money, because they know you and understand your needs.

Nurtured at every opportunity.

Whether you and your partners just continue working together for the good of all or you pool your resources to market together, your relationships must be cared for. Never take your business relationships for granted. See that you are there when they need you. Actively seek ways in which you can enhance or expand upon your collaborative relationships. Keep the lines of communication open.

Considered one of your most valuable assets.

You should make this your guiding principle: "Smart businesses use things and value people." Treat your relationships with the utmost respect. Continually give as much as you receive and more. Create win-win scenarios.

When you form mutually beneficial relationships you multiply your resources and many times divide your costs. For example, this is very apparent in collaborative advertising. For each partner in the marketing campaign, you multiply the number of prospects and you divide the cost of the campaign among the collaborators. The ways to benefit from strategic partnering are endless. You are limited only if you choose to think inside the box. If you pour all your time and resources into working alone you will miss a world of opportunities.

=======================

Marilyn Crain is a freelance writer with an extensive background in human resources, information systems and performance improvement. Most of her writing has been in these business fields, but she is now expanding her horizons into other areas.

She has had a lifelong love of reading and writing. Among her many passions is sharing history with children through her developing series of children's historical fiction soon to be out on www.ezetta.com.

She is a partner in the e-newsletter/e-marketing site http://www.evoicenewsletters.com/, as well as, the soon to be launched eZetta.com, author's site devoted to e-book publishing and decodiva.com, a site filled with beautiful living resources. She is co-publisher of two newsletters, The eVoice and The Freelance Life. You may contact her: marilyn@smartwriters.com.