By our very nature, we entrepreneurs want to do everything ourselves. We want to take on the world, build a huge business AND do it all on our own. We are the consummate DIYers.

I struggled with the idea that I needed to do it all myself for many years. But finally, I couldn’t deny  that trying to do it all was actually holding me back. Not only is it true that I CAN’T do it all – I SHOULDN’T be doing it all. And neither should you! So – today’s lesson covers leveraging the work of others by getting into some smart joint ventures.

If you’re wondering what a joint venture is, it’s simply teaming up with other business owners to get something done. And right now you want to add more subscribers to your email list. As long as you both benefit, you’re doing it right.

The number of ways in which you can partner with other business owners to build your list (and theirs!) is only limited by your imagination. Here are some common ways to partner up with another business owner and build your list:

Email – If you both have email lists, one way to build your list is to simply ask your JV partner to tell her list a bit about who you are, why she trusts you and why she highly recommends they pay attention to what you have to say. In exchange you can do the same. It’s an easy way to increase your reach.

Giveaway – Add on to the email idea above by including a giveaway for your partner’s list. Be careful what you give away as it will be the subscriber’s first introduction to you and your business. Pick something to both impress them and leave them wondering what else you have to offer.

Write for Them – We’ve discussed guest blogging earlier in this series, and guest blogging is certainly a joint venture option. You may also want to partner with people who own ‘authority’ sites and contribute as an author. At the end of your article or blog post, include a call to action that leads people directly to your email list sign-up page. Writing for other sites is a GREAT long-term technique, and there are many sites out there looking for quality writers.

Speak for Them – Add multimedia to the mix. You could record an audio filled with quality information and give your JV partner full rights to give it away, sell it, or otherwise distribute it to your list. You could do the same thing with video, or a teleseminar or a webinar. If you’re unsure how to do this there are programs that make it plug-and-play, like Audio Acrobat and Instant Teleseminar.

Talk to Them – I’ll bet the person you want to partner with has plenty of ideas for you. Have a dialogue to ask him or her if there’s something in particular they’re in need of that you can provide. Filling their need will make them that much more eager to work with you.

There are so many amazing, talented and smart business owners out there. It’s time to go out and connect with them! Make a list today of who you can contact right away and just see what happens…

We’ll talk again tomorrow when I’ve got plans to share some great tips about using social media (yep – like Twitter and Facebook) to build your list.