While we all like to think we have all of the expertise and talent necessary to run our businesses within the walls of our company, there comes a time when you need to find outside help.
Having strategic partnerships with key suppliers and providers of services and products is wise move, given we are all trying to keep down our internal overhead. Once you’ve made the decision to move forward, consider your selection process and how it will impact all concerned.
At a minimum, incorporate these ideas into your selection and decision process:
- Make sure the playing field for selection is level. Give all participants the same, equal criteria or instructions.
- Create and use a scoring system. While qualitative judgments are valuable and necessary, a quantifiable measure is a good defense of your decision.
- Be professional in all communication. Thank participants for their efforts and be gracious in delviering news–good and bad.
- Don’t include people who are not qualified just to have a field of bidders. If you only have one that is qualified, can you sole-source the project?
- Do your homework. Before you start the process, during the process and after the process make sure you know what (and who) you are talking about.
- Look beyond the tactic and consider all of the strengths of your potential partner. If the initial request is for a specific thing, broaden your view and consider what you want them to do leading up to and after the tactic is implemented.
Choose carefully, be consistent and be professional and polite. And you will gain (and earn) the partner you are seeking.
The Trade Show Guy
Good stuff Paul. Processes are important in establishing good partnerships. How do you determine which items are most important in the scoring system – i.e. assigning weight to items?