How to Choose a Vendor That Fits With Your Core Values
What is really important to you when choosing a vendor or collaborator? Their body of work? Their impressive name-brand client list? Or do the culture and values of the individuals speak more to the kind of company you want to work with?
More and more companies are concentrating on defining their "core values," the set of standards that they abide by as a company. It can affect how they hire their employees, and how they choose the vendors and creative collaborators that they will work with. Believe it or not, some companies dare to tell a prospective client that they don't want to work with them. Why? Because if you choose to work with another company that you don't respect or see eye-to-eye with, your chances of a smooth relationship and successful project are slim.
People do business with people, not companies. You want to feel a personal connection with the people you are working with, know that they are invested in you, and that you will be listened to. You should be able to trust that the people you are working with have your best interests in mind when proceeding with your project.
Here are some things to consider as you determine the kind of company you want to work with:
+ What are their core values, and do they align with yours? If they don't have a set of core values prominently displayed on their website, ask about them.
+ Find out about their culture. Through social media and blogs, you can get a feel for the people that work there.
+ How many charitable projects have they been involved in? Do they align with your interests?
+ What types of projects have they worked on? Is there a trend?
+ Do they come off as self-absorbed "Us, us, us!" verses conveying how you would benefit by working with them?
+ Do you have access to their client testimonials? Are they spoken of highly and do they speak well of their clients?
It’s not always an easy choice to decide whom to work with between similar companies, and frankly it can be a gamble sometimes. But if you do your homework, it usually becomes clear and that gut-feeling you have about them turns out to be justified.
Now, just as importantly, ask yourself, what would be their motivation to work with YOU?
CRASH+SUES provides strategic storytelling and video services to ad agencies, businesses and film companies seeking to create meaningful connections with their customers and employees. We’re masters of ideation, design, live action video production, animation and color, delivering compelling content that engages, entertains and educates. Call us what you want – a hybrid agency, a creative boutique, a production studio, digital daredevils, or… just call us. We’ll help you cut through the noise.
