It’s a match! Are you looking for a situationship or long-term when it comes to a dealer partner?

Swipe left, swipe left…oh not a bad intro.. ok, swipe right. Wait, I know someone that knows that person. Let me get the tea (that’s information, details, etc.) and see if we fit my needs and wants.

Looking for the right fit when it comes to a dealer partner is almost as hard as finding the right match on a dating app. Everyone puts their best foot forward. All the right things are said at the right time. Sometimes it feels like a whirlwind, love-bombing of great ROIs, breadcrumbing when emails that were once replied to immediately are now slow to come back. It feels like you’re on a dating app and trying to find that one dealer partner that just gets it.

But what if you are the one who isn’t clear on what it is that you really want?

What if you as the dealer, don’t really know what you want because you have gone through so many other vendors that you are just going through the motions now and don’t even want to ask the important questions that matter to YOU because you haven’t been understood?

That right there is the difference between a vendor and a dealer partner. That is the difference between a quick situationship and something more substantial, like a dealer partner.

A situational vendor will make you feel great! As the awesome Henry Rollins once sang “…?I`ll tell you things that you already know. So, you can say, I identify with you, so much……” and you do.

You unknowingly fall for it. How could you not? Could be because they have a cute website or maybe at NADA they had swag that spoke to you more or could be you are a little unsure of what you want so, why not go for it? But then, you start feeling like you are not the only one. You knew this vendor had other clients what you weren’t prepared for was the far and few in-between correspondences. Suddenly you feel neglected. The promised ROIs aren’t so fruitful. And you wonder, is this a good match?

In the dating world, the goal is typically to find a companion with whom you can build a meaningful relationship. This process often involves getting to know someone on a personal level, assessing your compatibility with them, and deciding whether you want to pursue a relationship with them. Translate that to the dealer/vendor world, you want a company that not listens to you but understands you and your brand. While both dating and finding a good dealer partner require careful consideration and evaluation, the ultimate goals and outcomes, while contextually different, are the same. ?You are seeking a compatible partner for a long-term partnership, that is also a reliable and cost-effective solution to your specific need.

And that is the MAIN difference between a “vendor” (situationship) and a dealer partner (long term, they text you back, they listen to you, implement creative ways to reach out to more customers and dormant leads, cultivate the way you digitally communicate more effectively and maybe sometimes send you uber lunch…maybe lol).

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The author Mabel Peralta typed this while debating if she has carpal tunnel due to constantly swiping left.