How can you ensure that your vendors feel valued and heard?

Lack of information breeds uncertainty. Make the hard phone calls first; rarely is it as terrifying as it seems. Generally, event industry professionals are the most flexible and understanding individuals you’ll ever work with. Treat every interaction as a negotiation to find a workable solution. The worst thing you can do is ghost / avoid talking to your vendors. Compare it to when a client stops answering your messages. Ours and our vendors’ success is interdependent.

Ensuring vendors feel valued and heard involves consistent communication and thoughtful engagement. Begin by actively listening to their concerns, ideas, and feedback, demonstrating that their input is genuinely considered. Regularly provide updates on the status of projects and acknowledge their contributions. Express appreciation for their work and recognize achievements through positive reinforcement. Establishing an open line of communication, addressing concerns promptly, and involving vendors in decision-making processes fosters a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship, reinforcing their sense of value and importance.

Organize collaborative workshops with your vendors to explore innovative solutions and market trends together. These sessions can help both sides stay at the forefront of industry advancements.

Ensuring vendors feel valued and heard requires building strong relationships. Regular communication is essential - keeping them informed about your business goals, projects, and any changes. Encourage their feedback and take it on board; this shows you value their expertise. Recognize their good work, perhaps through a vendor recognition program or simply thanking them for their service. Lastly, prompt payment shows respect for their work. Vendors are partners in your success - treating them as such fosters a positive, productive relationship.

Vendors want to be treated as partners, and they want your help to let them do the very best job they can do. What does that mean? (1) Provide complete information at the start of a job to set up a vendor for success. (2) Provide clear feedback along the way. Help your vendors exceed your expectations by telling them when they still have work to do. (3) Provide performance data. Vendors can only perform at their best when they have the data to optimize their campaigns. Transparency is key. Be on the side of your vendors. When you help them succeed, you're succeeding too!

Consider adopting ethical compensation models that reflect industry standards and fair market rates. Establish mutually beneficial pricing structures that account for their expertise and contribution.

Create a feedback loop with vendors to encourage ongoing improvement. Regularly solicit their input on processes, products, or services, and implement their suggestions where feasible.

Everyone appreciates getting feedback on a job well done. While monetary or gifts may not always be appropriate the recommendation or referral is always well received. Folks are working harder than ever and sometimes with less resources, staffing and tools. Appreciate when things go right - writing a letter of recommendation to their company, a testimonial and posting positive accolades on social media will also help to keep your service levels high into the future.

Tips for the staff delivered personally go a very long way. Referrals, reviews, and repeat contracts are the ingredients for a long term partnership.

- Acknowledge that your vendor has extensive experience in the area of work and ask them for their learnings to ensure the success of your project. - Explain the scope of work and set realistic deadlines. - Break project milestones into smaller achievable steps so you can track project progress without being overbearing. - Plan for feedback rounds.