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Blogging alliances are important. But who should you ally yourself with? More importantly, who is willing to ally themselves to you?

These are really important questions. The answers matter. Maybe more than you think, and probably not in the same way you think.

See, here’s the deal: alliances are formed between parties bringing something each has to the table, complementing what the other wants.

From the Free Online Dictionary definition for alliance:

2. A connection based on kinship, marriage, or common interest; a bond or tie:

Obviously, as bloggers, we’re not looking at kinship, or marriage, so that leaves us common interest.

Who, among all the bloggers you’re acquainted with, do you share common interest? Darren Rowse? Sonia Simone? David Risley? Liz Strauss?

Really?

Let me offer this: probably not. It comes down to value. What can you offer them, in alliance, that they don’t have?

Flattery? Talk is cheap.

In other words, what value do you bring to their table?

Alliances work well among people with equal or complementary mojo. Otherwise, the person with more mojo isn’t getting much return on their time.

In short, if you’re always reaching up, don’t be disappointed when you’re snubbed. It’s likely, highly probable in fact, that the person “snubbing” you is really busy creating value for themselves and the people they’re allied with. Would you rob them of this?

So what to do?

It’s not that hard…

Reach out to your peers

Don’t just focus up.

Look around you.

Who are your peers worth knowing? Who’s definitely going places? How can you help the people working near you, instead of ignoring them, attempting to climb over them, or push them down.

Learn to help each other up.

Most importantly: Don’t be afraid.

Everyone brings genius to the table. If there is someone already at the table who’s doing better than you in your special niche… deal with it. But don’t be afraid of it. Your fear will mess you up emotionally.

Extend a hand to beginners

Likewise, there are many people just as you were a couple of years ago, or even a few months ago.

Help these people out, help them get what they want, build a mutually supportive bridge, go forth and conquer together.

Ignore or alienate newcomers and beginners, and you’ll be having Bill Gate’s nightmares… he’s on record… he never worried about IBM, or Hewlett Packard or Sun or any other of Microsoft’s large, established corporate competitors.

Nope.

What kept Mr. Gates awake at night was that unknown startup, those unknown guys pounding code late at night, coming out of the blue with the Next Big Thing, taking the world by storm just as Gates did with Microsoft. Google.

Reach down and help those up and comers. No need to give away the shop, that serves no one. But if they have the moxie to eventually crush you, make your peace with it and forge a favorable alliance while you still can.

And besides that, I’ve personally found the more I’ve helped people succeed, the better it is for me.

Who are you helping succeed today?