Creating the perfect partnership

Here at Intandem  we’re all romantics  at heart. After all, ‘love’ is one of our core values. So during February, the month of Valentine’s Day, we got thinking how working with an agency is like a romantic relationship.

The elements required for success in both are remarkably similar. Both partners need to share the same values and outlook. They need to enjoy each other’s company and have fun together. Relationships that stand the greatest chance of success are those in which there is two-way communication and mutual respect. You want to find a partner who is aligned with your way of thinking and who wants the same things from life.

Before committing to any serious relationship, you need to find out a little bit about the other party. In business, as in romance, you can do this online or by talking to friends or associates. If initial signs are promising, the next step is to get to know the person a little better. At Intandem, this takes the form of initial conversation to understand a potential client’s aims, goals and desires, and  also to see if there is the right chemistry between us. If we are going to work well together in the long run, we need to get on.

We always offer  businesses a free no-obligation initial meeting, where we can both share our thoughts and wishes for the partnership. It’s like a short first date over coffee and cake. It’s a chance for us to get an insight into the business we will be working with, before either side commits to anything more serious.

Once we’ve both decided that we’d like to see each other again, we host  a longer alignment workshop, where the Intandem and client team  can get together. It’s a great way to get buy-in from everyone, ensure everyone’s on the same page and  really get to know each other better.

Such careful and extensive preliminary work and ‘getting-to-know-you’ sessions provide the solid foundation that is essential for any fruitful long-term relationship. It means both parties are clear about what we are trying to achieve, have a good sense that we will get along, and agree how we will work together.

Of course, keeping any relationship going is all about regular contact. Checking in with each other to make sure we are okay; meeting up regularly and doing fun things together. Long-distance relationships are hard to sustain, so we like to meet up as often as possible.

It’s important to be open and honest with each other too, and prepared to discuss issues or difficulties as they arise. By getting to know each other well at the outset, these conversations are much easier because both parties trust each other and have each other’s best interests at heart.

The result of this honesty and openness is a happy long-term relationship, and one that’s beneficial for both parties. You might call it, a match made in… York. That’s pretty close to heaven, as far as we’re concerned.