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I’ve often called Endorsed Relationships one of the most powerful forms of marketing in the world. This has always been the case, but never more so than in 2026. That’s why I wrote this for you. It’s to show you what endorsed relationships are and how you can use them to rapidly make a fortune for your business.
Let’s go!
Endorsed relationships: What are they?
An endorsed relationship is a proven, extremely effective marketing tactic. It’s where you build relationships with people, who endorse (or recommend) your services to their contacts. This works most effectively when that person, company or brand is trusted by their contacts.
I have personally used endorsed relationships for over 30-years, to generate millions of pounds and dollars worth of new business, for my clients. I have OFTEN seen them generate over 50% positive response rates and occasionally, over 80%! Depending on your prices or fees, this could be worth tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to you.
Here’s what a successful endorsed relationship looks like.
Endorsed relationships example
Bob runs a small IT business and serves businesses in his local area, who are too small to have a dedicated IT department. He encourages his accountant to endorse him, in the accountant’s next newsletter. The newsletter reaches around 300 local business owners. That’s perfect for Bob’s service. The newsletter contains a brief endorsement of Bob’s service. It explains that Bob has kept their IT systems running for the past 4-years and recommends they call or email Bob when they need IT help.
Because the accountant is a trusted advisor to these 300 businesses, their endorsement of Bob’s services is extremely powerful. With a couple of mentions a year in the newsletter, Bob could generate more new clients than from tens of thousands spent on advertising. And that’s from just 1 endorsed relationship!
That’s the type of opportunity that’s available to you and your business right now. And it’s never been more effective in 2026. Thats because in this uncertain economy, prospective clients are extremely cautious about who and where they will spend their money.
Endorsed relationships: Some simple guidelines for marketing success
Here’s some guidance on how to make sure your endorsed relationships work.
Mutually beneficial
Endorsed relationships have to be mutually beneficial for them to work. If you want someone to recommend you to their highly-valued clients or customers, there needs to be a good reason for them to do so. People will not just endorse you, because it’s going to make you rich!
For instance, my first ever business bank manager used to recommend me to any of his clients who needed to improve their sales results. Why? Because when I made their businesses grow, it increased their need for more of the bank’s services. By recommending me in this way, his clients benefited, he benefited and so did I.
It has to be mutually beneficial. Always.
The endorser needs to have influence with his network
The relationship between the person endorsing you and their contacts is pivotal to the success of the exercise. Think about it. There are people you know, whose recommendations and advice you value. There are others whose advice carries no weight with you.
The people you choose to build an endorsed relationship with, need to be people who have the trust of their customers and/or contacts.
Put a basic endorsed relationship plan together
For your endorsed relationships to work, you need to get the basics prepared in advance.
- You will need to invest the time required, to carefully select the right people to form the relationship with. This ensures you’re building your relationship on the best possible foundations.
- You’ll also need to decide how you’ll motivate them to want to endorse you. If they’re an existing contact of yours, this is simple. You’ll know what’s likely to inspire them. You’ll have also earned their trust.
- This is why I recommend that to begin with, you should focus exclusively on building endorsed relationships with people you know. Then, as your experience increases, you can build it out.
- And remember to prepare your systems for what can be a massive wave of activity! You’ll have new enquiries to deal with, new meetings to attend and new customers to onboard. This is critically important. You have to plan for success in advance. Because if this huge wave of success hits you and you’re unprepared, it could lose you a fortune in business.
- Tip: Ask yourself, ‘If I had 20 enquiries from hot prospects next Monday, the same on Tuesday and another 30 before the end of the week, what would I need in place?’ Then write it down and get to work!
Did you notice that this amazing opportunity requires no money spent on advertising? And did you notice that with just a handful of successful, endorsed relationship campaigns, you can earn more than your best year ever? Oh, and that this is a high-profit way to grow your business?
I hope I’ve managed to inspire you to put your first endorsed relationship together. I’m telling you, it can radically, massively improve your sales results and with almost zero risk. If you want more great ideas like this, subscribe for free to the Jim Connolly Newsletter.
IMPORTANT: If you want to make more sales, boost your profits and grow an amazing business, this will help you!