Comments on: Are You a Partner or a Vendor? http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/ The design blog of Matt Brown and Tiffani Jones Brown - thingsthatarebrown.com Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:34:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jeff Mackey http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-558 Jeff Mackey Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:35:26 +0000 http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/?p=918#comment-558 Excellent post topic. I've been burned on this a few times--learning the hard way. What I've found is that giving push-back garners respect. Like Matt said, and what I've learned, it's all about being as explicit as possible up front so there's clear understanding. Excellent post topic. I’ve been burned on this a few times — learning the hard way. What I’ve found is that giving push-back garners respect.

Like Matt said, and what I’ve learned, it’s all about being as explicit as possible up front so there’s clear understanding.

]]> By: Evan Sharp http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-557 Evan Sharp Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:32:20 +0000 http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/?p=918#comment-557 Love the post Tiff. The Partner relationship, as you describe it, seems to me to be one that demands document-able, analytical thought from a firm. In this case, I think one way of filtering the leads you get is to really invest time describing the thinking behind your firm's work. A portfolio that demonstrates thought should, theoretically, attract thinking clients - the kind you'd want to partner with. Love the post Tiff.

The Partner relationship, as you describe it, seems to me to be one that demands document-able, analytical thought from a firm.

In this case, I think one way of filtering the leads you get is to really invest time describing the thinking behind your firm’s work. A portfolio that demonstrates thought should, theoretically, attract thinking clients - the kind you’d want to partner with.

]]> By: Matt Brown http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-556 Matt Brown Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:05:30 +0000 http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/?p=918#comment-556 Jeff: I agree with Tiff (surprise!). For us it just comes down to being explicit with how we describe our process to clients, and giving them a detailed description of how we work, in our pre-contract meetings. Jeff: I agree with Tiff (surprise!). For us it just comes down to being explicit with how we describe our process to clients, and giving them a detailed description of how we work, in our pre-contract meetings.

]]> By: Tiffani http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-555 Tiffani Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:19:45 +0000 http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/?p=918#comment-555 Yo Jeff: Thanks for your thoughts, and for the idea—I think a second post about your question is in order. My thinking is that where we fit along the vendor-partner continuum is inherent in how we talk about ourselves: our business, processes, & deliverables. It's also inherent in how we communicate with clients: what kinds of questions we ask up front, how we render our biz dev process, etc. So communicating where we fit better would be a matter of talking about ourselves and with clients in appropriate ways, and marketing our services more clearly. More soon. :) Yo Jeff: Thanks for your thoughts, and for the idea—I think a second post about your question is in order.

My thinking is that where we fit along the vendor-partner continuum is inherent in how we talk about ourselves: our business, processes, & deliverables. It’s also inherent in how we communicate with clients: what kinds of questions we ask up front, how we render our biz dev process, etc. So communicating where we fit better would be a matter of talking about ourselves and with clients in appropriate ways, and marketing our services more clearly.

More soon. :)

]]> By: Jeff Croft http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/01/are-you-a-partner-or-a-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-554 Jeff Croft Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:25:53 +0000 http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/?p=918#comment-554 Great piece, Tiff. I totally agree that problems arise when one starts being treated like the other. In that vein, what are some ways we can better communicate where we lie on the vendor-partner continuum upfront, even before we talk to a potential client? Great piece, Tiff. I totally agree that problems arise when one starts being treated like the other. In that vein, what are some ways we can better communicate where we lie on the vendor-partner continuum upfront, even before we talk to a potential client?

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