Evaluating Success
How do you know if the partnership is working? Evaluation can only take place if clear criteria have been identified when establishing the partnership against which the outcomes can be measured. These criteria may be different for each partner. For example the business partner may want an increase in business or in reputation from the alignment of their business with your project or event. You may want a better product, an increase in your network or audience development. These are the criteria that you will have written into your partnership agreement. Your end of the bargain will be to make sure that you deliver on what you have promised.
It is not possible to report on the success of the partnership unless there is documentation of the process and data gathering to demonstrate that the criteria have been met. You may need to:
- touch base regularly to report face-to-face on progress
- develop reporting mechanisms such as feedback sheets, a visitors book, ways of recording numbers or types of attendees, comparative chart of sales figures before and after the partnership
- supply photographic or video records
After the project is completed:
- Arrange a meeting with the partner to review the agreement
- Present a written report as the basis for discussion
- Discuss the areas that succeeded and those that needed more attention
- Broker a renewal of the agreement with any additional elements that you have gleaned from the first experience.