The Value of the Relationship
The savvy purchaser of marketing services understands a novel concept — even in today’s economy — Price is not everything. While calling for quotes and comparing prices and quality provided are important, it is also important to realize the value in developing a long-term relationship with key vendors.
The relationship you develop with your designer, printer, etc. over time will prove to be more important than saving a little money. You may not always get the best deal on every project — there will always be a vendor who will do it for less, but not necessarily as well — but there are key benefits from a quality long-term relationship.
Over time, as a vendor works with you, they gain greater understanding of your brand, your goals, and your stake-holders. This allows them to produce better results than someone who does not have this same experience.
This relationship becomes most valuable on those occasions when you face a complex project with an impossibly tight deadline. In these situations, vendors will reward your loyalty by bending over backwards to make sure that your project gets completed on deadline. They are also in a position to accomplish a quality job in a short timeframe due to their understanding of your brand and company.
Never underestimate the value of peace of mind, dependability and responsiveness. They are worth a lot.
Awesome blog! Thanks!