But enough about ancient lore. In producing in-person experiences, there is no inherent value in a one-stop shop. A better option is collaborating with best-of-class companies, whose excellence lies in delivering on their core competencies. “Playing in the sandbox” today means sharing our buckets and shovels. As timelines shrink, collaboration solves many problems. As a result, new partnerships are forged, and not simply as a one-time thing.
Tips for Agency and Partner Collaboration
So, what is an event marketer to do to ensure everyone “plays nicely in the sandbox,” as the cliché goes? Here are a few tips to make sure you are building a collaborative environment among all your partners:
- Boundaries: Delineate clear boundaries. Who is responsible for what on the way to producing a memorable event? If there is confusion, clear it up sooner rather than later.
- Respect: Insist on respect for the expertise and experience of each party. Nothing is worse than someone with no experience in a certain skill telling the skilled party “how to do it.” To an outsider, someone else’s contribution always looks easier than it is.
- Transparency is key: And that applies to everyone. And everything. Often, when we talk about transparency, we are talking about money—and that’s important. But there are other issues that demand transparency: conflicts can’t be solved by ignoring them, and nothing is more detrimental to the success of a project than someone being snarky or holding back information.
- Budget: If you learn that one of your potential partners feels your budget is inadequate and keeps after you to increase it, keep looking. Realize that there is a range of price points for agency work. Search for a partner who will work with you on pricing and delivery options. Nothing poisons a project more quickly than a sulky partner.
- More budget: Everybody needs to make money. Your budget isn’t a savings account that you are charged to manage. Don’t beat up your agency on price to get kudos from your managers. That’s counterproductive and not very good for your reputation: people talk!
- Scope of work: If you have parameters for the type of work each party will do, let them know. It is not unheard of for one partner to expect to do certain work, such as graphics, only to learn that another agency has been assigned that task. As the wizard behind the screen, your orders should be clear and understandable.
- Team building: Have any of your suppliers collaborated previously? Was it a happy collaboration, or was it fraught with tension and disagreement? Industry gossip being what it is, finding out shouldn’t be hard.
- Communicate trust and values, not fear: Share your company’s values and your expectations for delivering the message and engagement. Once you have your team together, trust them to deliver not only good outcomes but also good advice.
- Be mindful of your own comfort: if any of the project partners makes you uncomfortable with demands or demeanor, you need to address the problem, not allow it to fester. Today, when working with disparate groups, it is not unheard of for one or another participant to take offense at something said, possibly in jest. The final project stands as a testament to your skills in managing a team—and diplomacy.
- Share your needs, your expectations, and your vision: Don’t expect people to guess what you’re thinking. Be candid but also constructive. And just because you’re in charge doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be respectful of your partners. Your professionalism sets the tone for the project, and trust me, you will learn a lot!
Are you evaluating your partners? Trying to decide whether it’s time for a new agency? Download this free checklist to help you decide on the right partner for you and your business.
Not at this point yet? Still vetting your partners? Read our ten top tips for selecting an experiential marketing agency.