As a marketer, I’ve learned a little about a lot of different advertising venues…a little. Mostly, I learned I need a support network of good folks who know a lot about their respective crafts.
Fifteen years ago I came to Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction in Branson, Missouri as marketing director. I had a working knowledge of sales, television, print, radio, internet, publicity and channel marketing, but no outdoor experience. How hard can it be, right?
Thankfully, my art director at a past ad agency job, David Smoot, had schooled me regarding content. “Never more than eight words, and make sure your boards look better than the others.” I soon learned just how highly our corporate management regarded outdoor advertising and just how accountable I am.
Go-To Sources: So I did what I often do, call someone smarter than me. Fortunately I found that in graphic production manager for Silver Dollar City Attractions, John Neimeyer. He was very patient with my many questions, “Who owns the boards? What is the term of the lease? How many boards do I need? Who do I use for vinyl production, installation?”
I contacted Kelby Ayres of Ayres Sign Company. Mr. Ayres exceeded our expectations, communicated with us candidly, and made sense of it all. In Ayres, I found a well-rounded supplier/installer who exemplified the qualities I needed in an outdoor vendor.
Over my career I’ve enjoyed many good vendor relationships, suffered the bad, and had plenty of time to think about them. So I boiled down the qualities of the Go-To Vendor in the simplest of terms.
Timely: For some jobs, cost is king. For others, timeliness is job one. Invariably, billboards must be rushed through production or repaired in short order. In the eyes of my vendor, I want to be the high priority account so my jobs get the attention they deserve.
Boutique v. Behemoth: Economies of scale often lie with a big vendor. One example is printing millions of rack brochures, where cost savings outweighs the rush. However, to a large vendor, my account may be small potatoes and callbacks don’t come so quick. For outdoor, I prefer a boutique vendor that considers me a big fish. Responsiveness is king.
Honesty: Without naming names, we’ve all had unpleasant transactions and outdoor advertising is no exception. But those unfortunate business dealings remind me the value of a truthful vendor. Just tell me straight.
Did their homework: Ever encounter a supplier who has little or no knowledge of your business, and makes no effort to learn? Instead they push what pays the best commission today, rather than what you may need. That all too common scenario causes me to appreciate a vendor who invests time to understand my unique business needs.
Forgiving: Things change, opportunities arise. At some point we all need a little grace. I’ve had occasion to need to terminate a board lease to upgrade to a better location. A vendor that understands my situation, and allows me to make the necessary change will earn my respect and loyalty, not to mention future business. The business world could use a little more compassion.
Proactive: The Go-To vendor knows to be my eyes and ears in the field. They call me when there is damage or wear to my signs. And they have a solution in hand. Sometimes the solution makes them no money, but that doesn’t prevent a good vendor from doing what’s right.
Protective: Protect me from myself, and the dumb decisions I occasionally make, but do so without making me feel like an idiot.
Reasonable: Here’s the quality I regard the most. I don’t always expect a vendor to be the lowest price, but I demand value. I keep them honest by being aware of prices and have candid conversations about cost and delivery. They set reasonable expectations, then exceed them.
This is all common sense, right? That’s exactly the point. A little common sense and a well-qualified network of vendors are keys to success in outdoor advertising and all marketing.