How would you like to double or even triple your promotional products sales this year? That’s exactly what happened to me the year I landed my first big corporate account, and that account lead to many other big accounts.
Big accounts have the ability to give you larger orders, repeat business, multiple department contacts and referrals into many divisions. In short, landing a big account can dramatically increase your income. But before you start, you have to be knowledgeable.
Here are 7 proven strategies for landing big company sales:
1. Create Your Wish List: Make a list of the top 10 big companies you would most like to do business with. Focus on a growing market niche or vertical markets within that niche, and learn as much as possible. Keep the list small so you can follow up easily To be effective when selling to big companies you need to have a complete understanding of the company’s products, challenges and end users. Use your “Wish List” to track your results and your touch points.
2. Be Prepared. You can't wing it. You need to understand the challenges the companies you're calling on are facing. You need a customized approach to separate your company. Do your homework! Research the companies on your “Wish List” by going to their web site and gather additional information on sites such as Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Manta before you contact them. Having a clear understanding of their mission, products, challenges and end users will give you a much better chance of making a great first impression and landing an order.
3. Look for Trigger Events. Trigger events are great opportunities to connect with corporate decision makers. Research the top companies you want to target and set up a Google Alert at http://www.google.com/alerts for each of those companies. Google will send you an email any time the company is mentioned on the web. Look for trigger events such as name changes, new product launches, new building construction and trade show participation. The more knowledgeable you are about their needs and special events the better opportunity you have for working with them on a promotional marketing campaign.
4. Show Your Value. Corporate executives are much too busy to listen to the same old elevator pitch. What they want to hear is how your company will make a difference for them. They're not interested in your products; they're interested in the results your products can produce for them. They want numbers and a (ROI) return on investment. For example: How can you help them save on insurance costs with a wellness program or save on workmen’s comp costs with a safety program? These are the types of challenges they face. When you can design a program using promotional products around these types of challenges you have a much better chance of getting your foot in the door.
5. Create an account entry campaign and be patient. It can take anywhere from 7 to 10 contacts on average to set up a meeting. (Top sales professionals know this and don’t give up.) These contacts can include lumpy mail with an interesting promo product included, letters, white papers, LinkedIn messages, articles of interest and follow up phone calls. Each contact needs to focus on issues important to the prospect. Show your creativity by sending something unique that will wow them and references an issue you can help them solve.
6. Attend events. Look for workshops, meetings, or special events that people in your target niche market are most likely to attend. Nothing beats personal contact for getting your foot in the door of big companies.
7. Start out Small. Most corporations will want you to prove your worth before you get a large order. Try to get your foot in the door in a smaller division or department at first with a smaller order and prove your value. (That was exactly my experience when selling to a major pharmaceutical company. I did an order of awards for a smaller department which eventually led to other bigger departments, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of business!)
Landing big company accounts isn’t easy, but the monetary rewards are well worth the effort.
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach, is a promotional products business expert, sales-growth coach and popular speaker. Combining her skills and years of experience in promotional sales, she helps her clients sell more at higher profits to better accounts. She’s the creator of Promo Biz Niche to Be Rich Secrets. Learn more at PromoBizNiche.com
Get a free special report: 10 Proven Ways to Thrive in Promotional Products Sales at www.promobizcoach.com. Contact her at Rosalie@promobizcoach.com