Partnership proposal email built around what they gain
You see a company that serves the same customers as you and think a partnership could help both. Most proposals fail because they are vague ("let's collaborate!") or only about you. Your todo.is agent researches the other company, finds where your audiences overlap, and writes a partnership proposal email with one specific, low-risk first step.
The prompt
- Write a partnership proposal email to [CONTACT NAME AND ROLE] at [PARTNER COMPANY WEBSITE]. My company is [YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOU DO]. Research their website, products and recent news, and explain where our customers overlap. Propose this partnership: [PARTNERSHIP IDEA]. Show what they get, what we offer, and a small first step to test it, like [PILOT IDEA]. Under 170 words, a clear subject line, no buzzwords like "synergy". Include our proof: [YOUR PROOF]. Also write a one-page partnership summary as a PDF I can attach, and a follow-up email for 7 days later. Save the email as a Gmail draft. Do not send anything.
What to change
- [CONTACT NAME AND ROLE]: E.g. "Dana Cole, Head of Partnerships".
- [PARTNER COMPANY WEBSITE]: E.g. "trailnest.com". Your agent reads it.
- [YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOU DO]: E.g. "Rootwise, a meal-planning app for runners".
- [PARTNERSHIP IDEA]: E.g. "a co-marketing bundle", "a referral deal", "an integration" or "a joint event".
- [PILOT IDEA]: E.g. "one shared newsletter feature each in November".
- [YOUR PROOF]: E.g. "40,000 newsletter readers, 4.8 star app rating".
Example result
- Research notes
- • Trailnest sells trail running shoes and packs, mostly to runners training for their first ultra
- • They launched a "Train for your first 50K" guide last month
- • Their newsletter covers training plans but not nutrition
- The email
- Subject: Nutrition for your 50K guide readers?
- Hi Dana,
- I loved the new "Train for your first 50K" guide. It is the clearest one I have seen.
- I run Rootwise, a meal-planning app for runners. Many of our 40,000 newsletter readers are also training for their first ultra, and they often ask us which shoes to buy. Your readers ask what to eat.
- A simple idea: we each feature the other in one newsletter in November. We would write a short "fueling for your first 50K" piece for your readers, and include a Trailnest gear checklist in ours. No fees, and we would both track clicks with our own links.
- If it works, we could talk about a bigger bundle for the spring race season.
- Would you be open to a 20-minute call next week?
- Best,
- Kai Moreno
- Founder, Rootwise
- Follow-up (7 days later)
- Hi Dana, following up on the newsletter swap idea. I attached a one-page summary in case it is easier to share with your team.
- What the PDF summary covers
- • Who we are, in two lines
- • The shared audience
- • The pilot: what, when, who does what
- • How we measure it (clicks, sign-ups)
- • A possible next step if the pilot works
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your company, the partner and your idea in the [brackets].
- Paste it into todo.is, or send it to your agent on Slack, WhatsApp or email.
- Your agent researches the partner, writes the email and a follow-up, and makes a one-page PDF.
- Check the research notes, then send the draft from Gmail yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Start with a small, free pilot. A newsletter swap is an easy yes; a 12-month contract is not.
- Lead with what they gain, using their own goals from their website or news.
- Find the right person. A partnerships or marketing lead usually beats a generic info@ address.
- Ask your agent to "find 10 companies that sell to the same customers as us" to build a list of partners first.
partnership proposal email: FAQ
- How do you write a partnership proposal email? Show you know their business, explain the shared customer, propose one concrete idea with what each side gets, suggest a small first step and ask for a short call.
- How long should a partnership email be? Under 200 words. Put details in a one-page attachment so the email stays easy to read.
- Who should I send a partnership proposal to? A partnerships, business development or marketing lead. At small companies, the founder is often the right person.
- Can my agent find the right contact? Your agent can search public pages like the company team page and LinkedIn for the right role. You decide who to contact.
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