Improving Supplier Relationships

Partnering for Profits: Supplier Relationships

Yes, this is a great time to squeeze your suppliers for an extra nickel. The economy sucks, everyone is scrambling, and you want to get more than your fair share—it’s just looking out for my company you might say.

Don’t do it!!!

You might not think so now, but your suppliers really are the lifeblood of your company. Without your suppliers, you’d have nothing to sell or service to offer. Sure it is natural to want to take advantage of a situation. But hear me loud and clear—stick it to your suppliers now, and when things get better, they’ll remember.

By partnering with your suppliers in both good times and bad, you will be making superior “Relationship Bank Deposits” in anticipation of future withdrawals. If you have not yet done it; have meetings with your key suppliers and ask for their recommendations for process and supply chain improvement, especially in this lousy economic time. I’m pretty sure they will have a few recommendations that you have not yet implemented.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Avoid Competing With Yourself

You have most likely seen it; the speaker has a nervous habit, or several. And these habits are completely distracting. In fact, you have a hard time concentrating on what the speaker is saying. Some things to consider that will help you avoid competing with yourself the next time you give a presentation:

Playing with your eyeglasses

Playing with change in your pocket

Continual nervously sipping water

Over using “you know” and “uhhh”

Reading your speech

Dis symmetry in clothing; one coat pocket in and one out, wearing your name badge, or over sized broach

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Partner with Your Speakers

I was just reading in the April issue of “Smart Meetings” yet another article on frugal meeting tips and found myself wondering why the author would suggest creating an adversary relationship with speakers. While the author did not say it in so many words, however the author’s recommendations said it loud and clear—limit the number of hotel nights and only give conference registration for one day. Over the last several months, I have been interviewing people that book speakers for my column in “Speaker Magazine” and a frequent criticism is that the speaker runs off after their speech.

You cannot have it both ways. If you want your attendees to have access to your speaker for more than a few minutes—you’ve got to make it work for your speaker. Providing an extra night at your conference hotel is a minimal investment compared to the value your attendees will receive. And registration for only one day—how miserly can you me? It basically costs the association nothing to give a full registration.

In your effort to cut costs, be careful not to cut off your nose to spite your face. If you really are under the budget microscope, then hire only one speaker for your entire conference—that will be the most cost effective approach possible. Your attendees will have more access to the speaker, and besides, you do want your speaker to be your partner in making your meeting successful, don’t you?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com