Concern - Working with Party Rentals

Okay, so I was contacted by a party rental company that wants to do a form of "link exchange" however instead of links, they want a tab on my website and in return I get a tab on theirs.

My concern is that I've never worked with these people so I have no idea what their customer service is like, if their costumes are clean, or if the bounce houses are in good condition. I feel weird sending my customers over to them without knowing these things.

I currently don't have any link exchanges, but if I did, another concern is that if I do add a tab just for them, this would kill any link exchanges with other party rental companies in the future.

I think I would prefer just a new page titles Links and have their info on it rather than have a complete tab just for them.

What do you guys think?

As I have never been in this situation, I'd say go with your gut. It sounded to me liek you already answered your question, and you make sense to me.

I agree a link rather than a tab seems more like you a providing a list of possible contacts rather than recommending them solely. I would check them out. Call them and pretend to be a customer. Ask them about face painting. I find it hard to believe they don't have any face painters they use regularly already.

okay cool - I thought it was just me being too cautious

thanks

I have a links page on my site... it is people that have been willing to exchange links with me for the most part. Some are my preferred businesses, some I don't really know at all. If by a tab you mean that their link is a part of your main menu, then I would say no, you don't want people to think that it is the same business owner or something.

People will always ask for as much as they can...sounds like you've got good instincts though. I agree you should go with your gut. You don't want to limit yourself from other cross promotion opportunities.

I'd call them back and ask to come out to their next party to check out their party. Be straight with them. Let them know that it's just good business to see how they work, knowing they'd never want to do just connect with any face painter that might not be respectable (using wrong paints), unreliable and unprofessional. They could only respect your request and would feel better doing biz with you.

Then I'd add them to your LINKS page with the other rental companies you do work with. Good luck - grin