5 Steps (and 3 Pitfalls) for Building Strategic Corporate Partnerships

4. Create your menu of options. Having a menu of options for your partners, as well as your programs, allows you to quickly engage them on many levels, Mendenhall said. It lets them know that there is more than one way to support your organization.

Creating a menu of options also helps you prepare for first contact with a new corporate partner. You can think beyond what you need from a partner and get their perspective about you can offer them. The key is to listen to the company's needs and identify which things on your menu can best address them, Mendenhall said. (For an example of a menu of options, see image 2 to the right.)