Here's How To Get Your Foot in The Door of the Big Companies!
By: Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach (TM)
I don't have to tell you how hard it is to get an appointment in a big company these days. Voice mail is constantly on and your phone message is never returned.
If you're lucky enough to get a live person on the line, it's usually the gatekeeper and she/he tells you they already have a vendor they're working with and to call back next year. And it's only February!
So what's a savvy promotional professional to do?
Read Jill Konrath's book, Selling To Big Companies, that's what!
Jill was my very special guest on this month's Promo Biz Success Circle teleconference call. Judging from the response I got, she really knows her stuff!
Jill's an expert on selling to big companies and she talks from experience. No theory here.
She understands your struggles because she's been there, done that!
In fact, her own sales consulting business crashed a few years back, but rather than give up she picked herself up and discovered what works to get those big company sales. You can benefit from her mistakes and her research!
In this MUST READ book, Jill takes the mystery and struggle out of trying to get your foot in the door of those elusive big company accounts.
It's such a breath of fresh air to read a book that's not a bunch of hype; it's practical, easy to read and gives solid suggestions you can implement immediately.
Here are some key points from Selling
To Big Companies:
- Corporate executives are too busy to listen to the same old elevator speech. What they really want to hear is how your company will make a difference for them. They're not interested in you products; they're interested in the results your products will get for them. They want numbers and quantifiable results.
- Preparation is absolutely essential. 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 from the competition. Yes, this requires some extra effort, but is well worth the rewards. Jill shares with you step- by- step how to be really prepared.
- Start out small when getting into big companies. Get your foot in the door, perhaps in a smaller division at first with a small order and prove your worth. (That was exactly my experience when selling to a major pharmaceutical company. I did a small order of awards for an obscure department, which eventually led to other bigger departments, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of business!)
- You need an account entry campaign and you need to be patient. It can take anywhere from 7 to 10 contacts on average to set up a meeting. These contacts can include voice mail, email, letters, white papers, articles of interest and more. Each contact needs to focus on issues important to the prospect, not your company. Jill shares with you how to do this.
Yes, it's not always easy to get the big accounts, but it is certainly possible. If you're looking to increase your sales dramatically, read this book!
Want More Help Landing The Big Orders?
Take a look at my newly updated Business-Boosting Program.
You'll get all the tools you need to boost your sales fast!
http://www.promobizcoach.com/fast-track.html
Here's to more big company sales!
Best Regards,
Rosalie
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach (TM)
Rosalie@promobizcoach.com
P. S. What's your experience in selling to big companies? How did your get your foot in the door? Did you find this article helpful?
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach(TM) is a promotional products business expert, popular speaker and professionally trained business coach. She specializes in working with motivated, promotional professionals teaching them better, faster and easier ways to INCREASE their sales and profits!
Reach her at Rosalie@promobizcoach.com or 215-572-6766
