It’s Always, Always, Always about Relationships!
Because if it’s not a good relationship, it doesn’t matter what the price is, you will not have a long term business relationship.
In the 90’s there was a phase where it was believed it was only about GM (Gross Margin) and relationships no longer mattered. Relationship selling was supposedly going to be a thing of the past. Well, as time has passed, it has proven that while the price definitely has to be competitive, in the end it still comes down to relationship.
This is especially evident in deadline driven businesses like the exhibiting industry. When you are in the 11th hour and a union worker hasn’t delivered a critical piece of your shipment to your exhibit space, trust me, “relationship” is critical. You want a problem solving expert “in your back pocket”. You want someone who has strong relationships with many others so that a quick phone call or two can get quick results.
Poor Relationships = Roadblocks
Strong Relationships = Solutions
So when you are choosing your exhibiting company to be your partner, be sure to thoroughly evaluate:
- Can I make a phone call or send a text 24/7 and get in touch with a person immediately?
- Can this person make things happen?
- Does this company have a network of others to assist who are also reliable?
- Do they put me at ease and make me feel confident?