7 Cross-Promotion Ideas That Make Sense for Small Business

Updated October 2026 · Imagine That Graphics

A good partnership gives customers something useful and gives both businesses a reason to be involved. Start with a shared audience, complementary services and a clear plan.

Seven ideas to test

1. Run a small demonstration. A retailer and a maker can show a product in action. Agree on the venue, booking process and who answers enquiries.
2. Create a useful bundle. Combine things that naturally belong together. Make pricing, fulfilment and returns clear before promoting it.
3. Publish a joint guide. A landscaper and a garden shop could create a seasonal planting checklist, with a relevant next step for each business.
4. Share a project story. Show how your services work together. Get customer permission for names and images, and identify paid or sponsored relationships.
5. Exchange well-placed print. A small card at a complementary business can work when its message is relevant. Use a specific landing page and a readable web address alongside any QR code.
6. Build a referral routine. Agree on which enquiries are a fit, how introductions happen and how you will acknowledge them. Do not promise work you cannot deliver.
7. Support a local event together. Offer a useful service or activity. Spell out any donation amount, beneficiary and campaign period accurately.

Agree on the unglamorous details

Put responsibilities, costs, dates, approvals and follow-up in writing. Each partner should manage its own audience permissions. Do not swap mailing lists or assume an event registration allows future marketing from both businesses; review the CRTC’s CASL guidance before sending promotional email.

Your next move: Ask one complementary business to test one idea for a month. Use a unique offer code or landing page, record qualified enquiries, and review the results together before repeating it.

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