EPG Spotlight
Establishing Successful Vendor Partnerships
The event management industry is special in that there are multiple vendors involved in helping to make your event a success. That’s why as an event professional, it will be critical for you to identify the best vendors to service your programs. You might think this sounds somewhat easy. However, the task can be very much like dating. You may go out a few times, assess whether there’s any chemistry or desire to see each other again. The only issue in the event management world is that using the wrong vendor even once can have a disastrous effect on your next event.
Following are some ways to meet the right partner who you’ll want to see again soon:
Be Open to Matchmaking – Referrals should always be the first step in looking for a reputable vendor. Go to the people that you know and trust. Ideally, if they don’t know, they most likely will know someone who does.
Take Note of Return Calls/Emails – It’s amazing how many vendors simply don’t respond to potential business solicitations. Or if they do respond, it might be days or even weeks later. That’s a pretty good indication of how they may value your business. You never want to be in a position of guessing whether they’ll show up or not at your next event.
Assess the Chemistry – When you meet, begin discussing areas that are not focused on business. What are their interests, or how do they spend their free time. You are not only assessing a potential business service, you’re also talking to a person – and people do business with people. Do you like them overall and want to work with them? Or do you cringe when you hear their name. Realizing you may not have a choice as to who you want to work with, but if you do, there’s something to be said for great chemistry.
Share Your Thoughts – One you’ve established strong relationships with vendors, keep the lines of communication open. Tell them the entire picture – good or bad. This could potentially help them to help you get out of a jam, provide a more creative way to address a situation or do something better and even save on costs. Consistent and frequent communication is critical. Establish a good relationship with your vendor and they’ll go out of their way for you.
Keep In Touch – You might find that you haven’t had a need for a certain vendor in a good while. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep in touch. Often, vendors upgrade their services/products and it would be worthwhile for you to remain abreast of these changes. If they have a company newsletter sign up for it or occasionally visit their website. The best approach will be to have an open door policy where they can periodically call on you to touch base and tell you about these changes in person.
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