For any wedding planner, photographer, caterer, florist, DJ or entertainment company looking to expand their business, getting on the preferred vendor list at numerous luxury hotel and resort properties is essential.
But what should a vendor or planner do to get on the preferred list? Professionals offer six tips to becoming — and staying — a preferred vendor, and they say it all comes down to reputation, communication and understanding the culture of the property.
Build a Reputation of Excellence, Trustworthiness
Photo: Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
Jordan Yoder-Coates, Director of Wedding and Special Events Sales at Florida’s Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, said a vendor’s experience and reputation are always top considerations, and added a vendor can establish itself as a provider of luxury and excellence before ever becoming a preferred vendor.
Understanding what the property is seeking from vendors is essential, and Yoder-Coates said vendors should be familiar with the level of service a property offers clients.
“We are looking for experience not just on our property but similar properties with the level of luxury we offer,” Yoder-Coates said.
Logan Michaels, President and CEO of entertainment company Paradigm Sounds, said properties are often busy and want to be able to trust preferred vendors enough to send them clients and allow them to take things from there.
Once Paradigm Sounds is put on a preferred vendor list at a property, Michaels said the company asks for a list of the property’s other preferred vendors so they can build relationships with them.
Network with Planners or Vendors Who Have Existing Relationships with a Property
Partnering with a planner or vendor that already has a relationship with a property and is on their preferred list will advance an up-and-coming vendor’s efforts to get on the list. That relationship can be a means of introducing the new vendor to the property and serve as a reference for them.
"If they can find another planner in the network who is willing to work a relationship with them and help them have some presence on property, that is always a great first step,” Yoder-Coates said.
Offer Creativity and Versatility
Photo: weddingwire.com/paradigm-sounds
Michaels said Paradigm Sounds offers a wide range of entertainment services, and they don’t focus on a single style of music. They can offer a country group, a jazz quartet, a strings ensemble, a choir and more.
He said that versatility and ability to offer a wide range of services sets them apart and makes them more valuable to properties and clients.
Additionally, Michaels emphasized the importance of using various approaches to developing relationships with properties.
“You have to find creative ways to pitch yourself,” Michaels said. “You have to find your strengths that you can turn around and say is what sets you apart from other companies.”
Make Communication a Priority
Photo: Grand View Lodge Spa and Golf Resort
Once a vendor or planner makes the list, Yoder-Coates said maintaining a good working relationship with a property all comes down to communication.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions…the more questions you ask and the more you involve us in some of those design and planning strategies, the more we feel we truly are a partnership,” Yoder-Coates said.
Dawn Southworth, Managing Director of Grand View Lodge Spa and Golf Resort in Nisswa, Minn., also emphasized the importance of partnerships.
“We say ‘vendors,’ but it really is a partnership,” Southworth said. “Are they communicating to the wedding manager that’s here on property so they are aware of how important something is or what may or may not have happened? It’s really that ability to not only be available for the client but also be available to have open communication with our team here on the property.”
Understand, Prioritize the Property’s Values, Mission
Taking time to truly understand the property’s culture and the experiences it seeks to offer clients while also learning and adhering to the property’s guidelines are important in building the vendor-property relationship.
“It is a mutualistic relationship,” Yoder-Coates said. “We are here to help them, and we hope they are here to help us as well. We want our clients to walk away with the absolute best experience. It’s important for them to advocate for their clients, but it’s also important for us to know they are going to advocate for our guidelines and policies as well.”
Accept Responsibility, Demonstrate Accountability
Let’s be honest: Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, sometimes things happen at events that don’t truly reflect the quality of service a vendor is known to provide.
When that happens, it’s important for vendors to demonstrate a willingness to openly examine what happened and let the property know they are asking questions evaluating processes and willing to receive feedback.
“There are going to be mistakes, but it’s how we hold ourselves accountable to those mistakes and the integrity that we take in making it right,” Southworth said. “That’s why it’s so important for the people that we partner with to really take our core values to heart as well.”
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