As an event producer, your first and best line of defense is always a solid plan. Knowing how you will respond to every contingency will keep you calm and collected. But there will always be something that you did not expect! That’s where your second-best line of defense comes in – reliable vendors who will have your back when it counts most.
The more you work in this business the more you realize that reliability goes a long way when you juggle a lot of balls in the air at once.
That is why you will be hard pressed to find a planner who does not have their old standbys when it comes to bringing vendors onto a project. There are some vendors I have worked with for over a couple of decades.
When things start to go sideways, you want someone you can rely on – to deliver the goods you agreed upon, provide alternative solutions when you have little or no budget and, especially, provide a quick fix when your original vendor is a no-show.
While sometimes you have an instant connection with a particular vendor, most of the time it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes effort.
Here are three ways to cultivate loyalty with your preferred vendors:
- Be considerate – Become familiar with your vendor’s lead time requirements so they are not scrambling at the last minute to fulfill the terms of the contract. Also, make them aware of yours, giving them as much time as possible to meet their obligations. Keep them in the loop about changes that affect them. Invite them in for key meetings on matters that concern their area of expertise. Be respectful and open to what they have to offer.
- Pay attention – Make it a point to discover what is going on in their company: changes in their business structure, new products, as well as any promotional campaigns they are running. Share the same information about your business with them. An additional benefit to being able to put out a fire for you when you need it most is that you can also be a great resource to one another as referral partners bringing in new business for you both.
- Nurture relationships – When it comes down to it, it is all about connecting. Think beyond the event you are planning. Invite your most loyal and trusted vendors to office functions. When it’s appropriate, include them in the fun at gatherings outside of the office. For example, you could take them to lunch or invite them to play on the office softball team. Creating an atmosphere of friendship breeds loyalty and trust.
Sure, there is always someone fresh and new on the scene offering novelty, but trust beats that any day of the week.
If you weave these three elements into each of your vendor relationships, you will be well on your way to creating a network of suppliers to make each one of your events a success and maybe even gain a few good friends along the way!