Whether you're dealing with contractors, photographers, or handymen in your world, having good relationships with vendors can enhance the value you bring to clients, ensure that important jobs get done faster, and make your business run much more smoothly overall. Matt and Garrett discuss the importance of these relationships and how to develop them effectively, including paying contractors early, writing thank-you notes, creating an enjoyable work environment, and treating your team to lunch or appreciation events. These simple but meaningful gestures immediately set you apart from the rest, and put you at the top of the list of agents vendors want to work with.

Matt and Garrett's helpful insights are sure to resonate for both new agents and seasoned professionals alike. Because once you find good people who get the job done, showing your appreciation is key to ensure that they go above and beyond to take care of you and your clients moving forward. Today's episode will show you how to build those crucial relationships with vendors so that you're not just someone who called to hire them, but someone they'll truly want to help and do their best work for.

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Episode Highlights:

Relationships with vendors can enhance the value you bring to clients and help you get things done faster
You can develop these relationships so that you're not just someone who called to hire them
Having good relationships with contractors does not necessarily mean you'll have preferential treatment, but you might stand out in their mind as someone they like to work with
Communication and setting the right expectations
Surrounding yourself with good people who will get the job done, keeping them in your circle, and making sure they show up for your clients when you need them
Pay them early and write thank-you notes to show your gratitude
You can also treat them to lunch or have an annual event to thank your vendors for all their hard work
Having hospitality goes a long way - people want to work where they enjoy working
Showing appreciation for vendors, photographers, contractors puts you at the top of their list of people they want to work with
This makes everything run smoother
Don't ask for discounts just because you give them a lot of business - paying full price shows that you recognize their value
Let the other person offer a discount
Ask for contact information for other vendors who have done a good job
Reach out and let them know you were impressed with their work

Quotes:

"[Clients'] perception of the value that you bring to the table is affected by your ability to get these people to help you get the job done. Because if you can't complete your job or get it done in a timely manner, it does look bad on you."

"It's important to basically step into, How can we change our relationship with these vendors where we're not just somebody that called to hire them?"

"Just because you have a good relationship does not mean that you will get preferential treatment."

"At the very minimum, if you have a good relationship with a contractor or vendor or anybody, you get great communication."

"This whole game is about expectations... If we set the right expectations, it's easy. But if there's no communication, you can't set any expectations."

"Never go late on paying somebody because if that's the case, they're going to go to the people who pay them first."

"There's nothing worse than doing a job and then having to go chase around somebody to get paid."

"People want to work where they enjoy working… If you make the environment for the crew, for the business owner, enjoyable, then they're going to want to work there."

"The relationships are huge. From a simple glass of water to a case of beer, it just changes the dynamic of the relationship."

"The best and most healthy relationship is to let the discount come from the person that is providing the service."

"If you just take the time to slow down, acknowledge them and take care of them, you will stand out so fast. Because there are so many other people out there that they are working for that are just being aggressive and mean with them."

"This is all about building strong relationships with the service providers in your area so that when you need help, when you need that service, they actually will drop and reschedule things to be able to make sure you get taken care of."

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