Leveling with Vendors
Buyers have more power these days, and that can be distressing for marketers. But it doesn’t always have to be. Marketers are customers, too.
Last week, we published an article with strategies for negotiating better rates from website technology vendors. The article describes the strategy of Ben Kirshner, CEO, CoffeeForLess.com. Kirshner has negotiated the rates and trials of dozens of solutions, and he says that vendors are being more flexible this year.
The additional flexibility is because the vendors — like many marketers — are not seeing the same level of sales as years passed. They’re hard pressed to sign new accounts and keep their businesses growing. Sound familiar? The economic plight of the vendor and marketer are one and the same. If your team is struggling, the vendors will likely understand.
One tip that did not make it into the article: If your sales are down, Kirshner suggests giving your vendors a call an asking them for a break on your rates.
“Tell them that your sales are off 10, 20%, or whatever the case may be, and ask them ‘can you do anything?’” he says. “The worst they can say is ‘no,’ and the best they can say is ‘yeah, how much do you need us to knock off.”
