# Partnerships Best Practices [The Smart Way to Establish Partnerships](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCSdqNixcks) Based on insights from Tim Cox, Partnership Manager at Pool Together ## 1. Build Before You Pitch **Demonstrate value upfront rather than just talking about it:** - Create working prototypes or MVPs specific to potential partners - Show up with something already built that solves their problem - "Instead of creating long emails or slide decks, just build them something and say 'Hey, look what I built you'" ## 2. Focus on Relationship Building **Partnerships in Web3 are highly relational:** - Attend industry events to make in-person connections - Leverage existing relationships to get introductions - Identify and build relationships with responsive team members - Look for the "person who's on it" in each organization ## 3. Find the Active Responders **Target the most responsive people in any organization:** - In group chats, identify who responds fastest and most frequently - Direct message these responsive individuals to build momentum - "I find the person that responds the fastest over the most... whoever frequently responds the fastest and then I start DMing that person" ## 4. Use Experimental Approaches **Embrace a culture of experimentation:** - Try unconventional partnership approaches without extensive legal review when possible - Be willing to create quick experiments to test concepts - Maintain a scrappy, builder mindset rather than a corporate approach ## 5. Leverage Technology and AI **Use modern tools to streamline partnership development:** - Employ AI tools to quickly build MVPs and solve specific problems - Create data visualizations or dashboards to illustrate value - Use no-code/low-code tools to implement ideas rapidly - "I find myself basically weekly creating a new thing to solve an issue" ## 6. Identify Mutual Benefits **Create clear incentive structures:** - Understand what each partner needs from the relationship - Define how each side benefits from the partnership - Look for asymmetries that could be exploited for mutual gain - Make benefits transparent to all parties ## 7. Create Unique Value Propositions **Stand out with unique offerings:** - Add gamification elements to standard products/services - Create memorable and unique marketing approaches (like "silly songs" or meme content) - Find ways to combine existing technologies in novel ways ## 8. Use On-Chain Actions and Incentives **Leverage blockchain features for partnership programs:** - Create token-based reward systems for partner communities - Use on-chain actions to trigger partnership benefits - Consider "prize power" where actions lead to chances to win - "Whatever you want to reward, you just drop a token on them" ## 9. Build With Communities, Not Just Companies **Recognize the community aspect of partnerships:** - Identify and engage with active community members - Create tools and resources that benefit entire ecosystems - Allow communities to build upon your technology - "If people are building with your thing... that's the way" ## 10. Think Beyond Traditional Marketing **View partnerships as superior to traditional marketing:** - See partnership development as the core marketing strategy - "The best marketing is actually like partnerships and working with other projects" - Focus on cross-promotion and "vampire attacking" (attracting users from other projects) - Consider how partnerships can create network effects --- Remember: In the Web3 space especially, the most effective partnerships often come from building something concrete first, being highly responsive, maintaining a builder mindset, and creating genuine relationships with key individuals in target organizations.