Small Business Brand Collaborations: Creative Partnerships | Tory Burch Foundation

Finding customers is a top priority for growing businesses. Finding customers without huge customer acquisition costs is ideal. That’s where partnerships come in; expand your audience and drive real revenue. Those impactful partnerships can be especially fruitful, for creative businesses, such as designers, or retailers. 

Just ask Tory Burch Fellow Sally King McBride, founder of The Letter Nest, a custom alphabet art company for children, whose growth has been fueled by a series of thoughtful partnerships. “I knew it would allow me to promote my work in a very values-aligned way,” said McBride, who previously worked at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. “I didn’t want to buy followers or pay for PR, and I didn’t have enough product to do trunk shows yet. Creating artwork for larger partners helped me gain a foothold for my business.” 

As part of our webinar series, McBride shared her proven strategy to help you do the same—from finding the right partner and navigating contracts to protecting your intellectual property (IP). “This isn’t going to be the ‘you’ show,” she said. “It’s the ‘we’ show, and there is so much to benefit from that.”

4 TYPES OF CREATIVE BRAND PARTNERSHIPS

There’s more than one way for two brands to team up. Know which you want to explore before making anything official.  

Product

Co-branded products make headlines and build hype, and are among the most common and visible of collaborations—think of Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami, or Crocs and Post Malone. But don’t expect this to be a major source of revenue. You’re increasing reach, which drives potential customers to your core offerings—that’s the real profit opportunity. “The credibility and enthusiasm generated is material to my business,” McBride said, noting that partnerships also offer real-world insights into how different companies approach operations and marketing. 

Event

If you’re working with limited inventory or production capacity, consider an event-driven partnership. McBride, for instance, has been hired as a live illustrator to monogram bags for guests. One word of caution: always submit your final draft; otherwise, it may accidentally end up on event collateral before you’re ready. 

You have to be creatively flexible, nimble and generous…there are no real failures.

Social Media

Instagram giveaways and account takeovers are another fun, low-lift way to collaborate. Payment doesn’t always need to change hands; McBride does her social partnerships on trade. Interior designers, she added, are a natural fit for these collaborations—a single post can tag multiple brands for built-in cross-promotion. 

Giveback

“The demands of early-stage business building are daunting,” said McBride, “but that shouldn’t preclude giving back right away, and collaborations can be a terrific way to do this.” Plus, from a marketing standpoint, a philanthropic partnership makes your company values clear. “You’re shaping your own brand story in the process,” she noted. 

CONTRACT CONSIDERATIONS.

Collaborations are built on strong relationships, and those need support from strong contracts. Here’s what McBride has learned to look for in agreements. 

Ownership

Who owns the work? Is it a license, where you grant usage for a limited time, or work for hire, where the partner owns it outright?  

Payment Terms

Upfront fees are typically higher, while royalties can range from eight to 15 percent; some partnerships combine both. Be wary of clauses around royalty models—for example, if it’s tied to sales benchmarks, you may walk away with nothing if the product underperforms. “Make sure you’re capturing some kind of payment up front,” McBride said. 

For events, your contract should include your hourly rate, supplies, travel, accommodations, and content creation. 

Timeline

Set clear expectations on deadlines and deliverables. 

Credit

Determine how and where your name will appear—e.g., on a tag or the back of a product.  

Marketing

Which party is responsible for the photography, announcement and distribution?  

Usage and Restrictions

How, where and for how long can your partner distribute your work? 

Review Process

A great partner is generous about sharing samples along the way and welcomes your input. Some of McBride’s strongest collaborations occurred when both parties were willing to adapt and pivot.

Samples

Make sure you receive finished samples. You’ll need them for promotion, content creation, your portfolio, gifting and, McBride pointed out, “just as a nice-to-have.” 

Termination

Define what happens to your IP when the partnership ends. Worried about safeguarding your ideas earlier on? During the pitch stage, only share past work and perhaps a mock-up or two—never the finished product.

HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR BRAND PARTNERSHIP.

There are three key factors to consider for the launch: communications, the opening event and press. While you’ve already outlined responsibilities in the contract, McBride shared a few additional tips.  

• Leverage email and social media for teasers and announcements and lean on your personal network to spread the word further. 
• Consider an incentive, like a discount code or giveaway, to generate excitement and reach. 
• Document the launch event—it doubles as both a celebration and a marketing moment. 
• Don’t be limited by your definition of press coverage. “Just because something doesn’t launch in Vogue,” McBride said, “doesn’t mean it can’t generate buzz.” 

On Timing

Align your launch with a larger, cultural moment, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or the holidays—you’re tapping into the zeitgeist, amplifying reach. “Just be sure this doesn’t eclipse any launches you’re doing for your own company,” McBride cautioned. 

NAVIGATING SETBACKS.

If the collaboration hits a wall or goes off track, transparent communication is key. “Get on the phone and away from email,” McBride urged. “Keep it in perspective and keep it moving forward.” 

Each challenge also carries a lesson for the next time. “You have to be creatively flexible, nimble and generous,” she said. “There are no real failures.”

THE PARTNERSHIP ENDS—NOW WHAT? 

“Keep the door open for future partnerships,” McBride said. “If it goes well once, chances are it could go well again.” 

But before you jump back in, take a break. “Collaborations are a ton of work, requiring headspace, emotional bandwidth and time,” she continued. “So, let them breathe, both for your own sanity and the benefit of your marketing calendar.” This also prevents customer fatigue and protects your core offerings. 

Pro tip: The end of a partnership is a good time to launch something of your own, building on the momentum and the audience you’ve gained.