Vendor Engagement

 

Finding the balance between engaging with vendors and protecting program participants

Good relationships with vendors and well-managed opportunities for vendors to engage with program participants can bolster the success of your program. Engaging vendors appropriately, while protecting program participants from aggressive sales tactics, is a balancing act that requires intentional and strategic management.

 

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Elements of Success

Set a clear goal
Your goal for vendor engagement should be visibility and exposure to participants and the public.Provide structure
Provide a structure, similar to your sponsorship structure, for vendor participation in the program that offers differing levels of engagement.Identify project managers
Buildings with limited facilities and property management staff may benefit from working with a project manager to implement efficiency projects. Projects orchestrated by a project manager are more likely to have a project run smoothly and on time. Some vendors with multiple projects on a property may provide project management as a service.

Create Vendor Showcase Events

Plan events that will feature vendors. However be sure vendor exposure is considerate and seen as a resource to program participants – don’t place participants in heavy sales situations. Vendors are motivated to complete projects and harnessing that desire can help work occur sooner rather than later.

Share marketing collateral

Provide participating vendors with approved marketing language or templates they can use in their own collateral, on their website, and social media sites.

Leverage the private market to drive implementation
vendors are motivated to complete projects and harnessing that desire can help work occur sooner rather than later.

  • Create an organized way for participants to access vendors who do the work they are interested in implementing, maybe through a vendor guide (online/interactive or printed)
  • Be sure vendor exposure is considerate and seen as a resource to program participants – don’t place participants in heavy sales situations.
  • Always look for event space donations – from sponsors, vendors, or participants to keep budget costs low.  This practice applies for events in any of the modules.