Fast Company magazine recently reports about Google's positive financial results in 2009. The primary "good news" figure is Google's 4Q09 growth in gross revenue of 17% year over year.

Here's what catches my eye: Google's Traffic Acquisition Costs. That the portion of their revenues they share with "partners". That means the money spent having "partners" send traffic to Google.  And that figure totaled $1.72 billion in the last quarter last year.

For example, Google supposedly pays Apple $2 million a month (yes, a month) to have Google as the default search engine for Mobile Safari (the iPhone's ISP).

Whew. Big numbers.

So, how might you partner with other businesses to improve your business...and how does that involve your employee engagement focus? And how can you do it for something less that $1.72 billion?

Consider building agreements with other businesses. Share specific information with one another concerning

• What you do and why you do it well.
• How you are valuable to your community.
• Specific, clear reasons you should recommend each others' businesses to your customers.

If the shared information hits home and both businesses are in accord, you've got your first Traffic Acquisition Commitment. Now work more with other complementary businesses.

Hey, did I just save you billions!?

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