When you’re trying to sell to a big company, it can be difficult to capture the attention of the decision-maker(s) – that is, if you can even get your foot in the door to meet with them in the first place. If you do get a meeting with the right people, you have to make sure your value proposition is clear and strong and that you demonstrate your ability to be a problem-solver. The last thing a C-level exec wants is a project that is going to make his/her life more complicated, so it’s vital that you come to the table with a game plan that establishes your competence and thorough preparation.
If you currently work with large companies or are planning to target them in the future, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Jill Konrath’s Selling to Big Companies. This book covers a range of topics, including how to target the right people, how to get meetings, how to prepare a clear and concise value proposition, and much more.
Here’s a summary from Amazon Books:
“Setting up meetings with corporate decision makers has never been harder. It's almost impossible to get them to pick up the phone. They never return your calls. And if you do happen to catch them, they blow you off right away.
"It's time to stop making endless cold calls or waiting for the phone to ring. In today's crazy marketplace, new sales strategies are needed to penetrate these big accounts.
"Discover how to:
- Target accounts where you have the highest likelihood of success.
- Find the names of prospects who can use your offering.
- Create breakthough value propositions that capture their attention.
- Develop an effective, multi-faceted account-entry campaign.
- Overcome obstacles and objections that derail your sale efforts.
- Position yourself as an invaluable resource, not a product pusher.
- Have powerful initial sales meetings that build unstoppable momentum.
- Differentiate yourself from other sellers.
"Use these sure-fire strategies to crack into big accounts, shrink your sales cycle and close more business. Check out the Account Entry Toolkit for ideas on how to apply this process to your own unique business.”
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