LoriOsterberg

Some companies just get it.

I remember over 10 years ago, a new business opened up in my local mall. The first time I walked by Build A Bear, I laughed at the idea. Who would honestly keep going to a place where you could stuff your own bear?

Fast forward. My daughter now has over 10 of the stuffed friends, and an entire tub of clothes and accessories. And I love their marketing strategies - they seem to be teamed up with a ton of different businesses.

This week I received an email from Williams Sonoma. I love going into that store - doesn’t it make you seem like you might actually be able to cook? (All right, I haven’t mastered that part, but its still fun to pretend.)

And there in my email was Build A Bear. Yep, you need the special cake pan to make the 3-D bear. And then you can buy separate decorating kits to make a variety of outfits for the bear. How cool is this?

Now is a perfect time for the Santa suit. Or you can use the Princess decorating kit for your daughter’s birthday. Or the Soccer outfit after your team finishes the season. They’ve got you covered.

Just by taking their concept to a totally different level, they are easily going to add a LOT of income to their bottom line. And both companies will do very well with this promotion.

Cross promotion is finding a company that sells to your target audience, and joining up with something that benefits the both of you. And it may be just the thing you need to jumpstart your 2009 sales.