You never know what might happen when you send an e-mail or post a response in a forum . . . and you will never find out until you try!

Having been a member of the illustrious “Internet Marketing” niche since 2002 I can truthfully state that some of my success is due to an unintentional Joint Venture.

Now with all of the attention that the subject of JV’s usually receives, it would seem to most people that achieving a successful one should be a textbook case, a virtual “walk in the park.” (That is by no means a slam against JV-oriented products; on the contrary, I own–and have been an affiliate for–many of them.)

But even though this method has been honed down to a science, particularly due to great marketers like Sterling Valentine and Marc Goldman, I have discovered, through my own efforts that were not aimed at creating a JV, that we must never forget the human factor.

Look, no matter how “big” or “small” a particular marketer may be in the I.M. ‘pond’, he or she is first and foremost, a person. Somebody with needs, feelings, concerns and frustrations, just like all the rest of us.

And when you purposefully focus on that aspect, with no ulterior motive (“I’d like to do a JV with this person”) in mind, you will often get the most astonishing results!

Case in point: when Mike Mograbi introduced his “378 Internet Marketing Predictions” two -volume ebook set, I was totally amazed at what he had single-handedly created! I sent him an e-mail congratulating him on his new product and asked him about an affiliate program for his ebooks. He politely responded with a thank-you–and the link for his affiliate program.

At that time Mike was beginning to become ‘known’ in the Online Marketing industry and had also been a JV partner in a couple of other products.

We began emailing one another on occasion; I was still totally awed by the fact that he had conducted the massive research for his ebooks completely by himself. I had a product idea that had come about as I was thinking about this astounding feat and so I emailed him about it.

Although my suggestion never got off the ground, that was the defining moment that set into motion a new partnership that birthed the concept–and creation–of a radically new Internet Marketing-based product idea that turned the heads of and got rave reviews from several prominent online marketers.

Something that was an unintentional Joint Venture–of course I’m referring to the “Pulse of Internet Marketing,” IMNewswatch.com

It was nearly a year and a half from concept to launch, with many, many hours of writing e-mails, messaging each other and chatting via Skype, brainstorming, researching and planning. Throughout that time we also discussed many things besides online marketing, and I had the great privilege of getting to know Mike as a person. When the site finally launched in early 2006, it hit number one on Alexa in just nine days!

Think about it.

A year and a half of friendship and partnership had begun with a simple little e-mail that focused on the human factor, seeing Mike as a person, not a prospect or even as a potential JV partner.

Now, without question, I’m one of those people who “eats, sleeps and drinks” Marketing; I absolutely love it!

But even as marketers, we must be willing to remove our marketing ‘hat’ and communicate with each other as fellow human beings. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ said there are two great commandments. The second one is “love thy neighbor as thyself.”

When we do, it will make all the difference in the world.

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