As a successful business owner, you understand the importance of creating solid, beneficial alliances and relationships. You may initially believe that this is most relevant to networking within your field or industry, but it extends far beyond this. Your company may work with numerous suppliers, and it makes sense to network with reputable suppliers who share the same values as your company has. After all, these suppliers can directly impact the quality of your products and services, your reputation with customers and more. These are a few of the more important steps that you can take to research suppliers’ values before you decide who to do business with.
Read Bios
When businesses take bold steps to adopt eco-friendly practices, to use free trade practices and more, they understandably will publicly announce this. One of the more common methods that they use to announce their practices and to align themselves with specific causes is by touting their efforts on their website’s bio page. For example, a plastic and Perspex supplier may explain their comprehensive recycling programs and why they are important to the company.
Pay Attention to News Stories
You also should regularly read news stories related to your field as well as to affiliated fields and industries. For example, if your company uses glass bottles as part of its manufacturing processes, you should focus on stories related to the glass industry. By doing so, you can make thoughtful adjustments to your relationships with different suppliers.
Look for Affiliations
When companies have strong ethical ties or values, they often join related associations and organizations. Their affiliations may be posted on their website, such as on the bottom of the homepage or in the biography. In addition to researching affiliations on a supplier’s website, you may also look at the membership of organizations that you are associated with to find companies to work with.
Research Sponsorships
Your company may sponsor special events, such as fun runs that support a cause. You could also sponsor research organizations. A smart idea is to look at the events or research that your business sponsors. Find affiliated suppliers that also support those same things through sponsorships.
When your business is affiliated with organizations, values or other things that are relevant to your business, you can promote your causes and values more substantially. You can also use your relationships for public relations purposes. Use some of these great ideas to look for suppliers to do business with.
