Breaking Big Companies

[elite123]

How do you get a contract with a big company ?

Mail usually destroyed/voicemail to get past etc etc etc

Any Ideas ?

Selling Services !

[ebonybailey]

My clients are pretty large, well most of them, in fact I intend to put a PR in the PR section this afternoon regarding another big name you will be aware of.

In my opinion never leave VM its a waste of time, if you do mail follow up within the week whilst its still in their mind. But there is nothing better than speaking to the decision makers directly, some people hate doing it but it works ask if there is anyone else they know who may be interested, mention some of the great work you have done in the past, once you have one big name on board you will be amazed to see how easy it becomes to get others.

OH and the script you use is key, keep it short and sweet and to the point, qualify there interest, if you have a newsletter ask if they mind if you add them. I only have 150 people on my mailing list but I would say 100 of them are within multinational companies that turnover Millions or in some cases Billions.

Let me know if I can help anymore.

Michael

[gapgb]

You need to get on their recommended suppliers lists so you can start quoting.

Marketing to the right department will be the key and there can be complex organisational structures, so finding who the decision maker is can take a long time and there maybe several stake holders you have to convince.

Start with a few polite calls to see if you can find out which department and person would deal with suppliers of your services. Ask if you can make a presentation to that person about your company or send in details. Then follow them up as mentioned above. Be prepared for stonewalling and rejection but being polite will often help.

If this doesn't work you will have to try other methods like mailshots, advertising and so on. But a few calls will be cheaper.

(It can take years by the way)

[YEM]

(It can take years by the way)

It took us 6 months to get a sale from a large bank and it was mastered by regularly talking to a pr agency, rather than the decision maker emplyed by that bank!

Keeps perservering

[IMEX Sourcing Services]

Mind me asking what the product was Lucy?

[Hayles]

Start small.. we started by doing a business buffet for just 7 people.... we now do upto 5 buffets per day (for up to 100 a time) for the company! Depending on what you do, offer freebies to get your name known within the company you're targetting? Remember, although it's a big company it's made up of lots of individual people just like you.

Hayles

[YEM]

Mind me asking what the product was Lucy?


They booked an advert in YEM

[daveashton]

Remember before you start the 25% rule.

The other comment I would make is that getting in is easy if you work simple systems like prospect profiling, but converting that into a sale is another matter.

Remember that big companies often take the safe option so track record, turnover, number of staff , image etc are v important!

[Rob Holmes]

Remember before you start the 25% rule.

I'll be the one to ask...

Whats the 25% rule Dave?

Rob

[daveashton]

If any 1 order is over 25% a major business it will not get past purchasing.

There are a few exceptions to this rule but not many and it is down to perceived risk.

The best way to avoid this again is prospect profiling on TAS plan.

PS you also have other sales rules when selling to government sector which is why so many small business fail to win tenders.

[YEM]

PS you also have other sales rules when selling to government sector which is why so many small business fail to win tenders.

We have found that the reason people fail to win tenders for public sector are due to the processes you have to go through. Particularly now the new e-procurement strategies have been put into place, small businesses often can't get onto preferred supplier lists!

[daveashton]

The big reason fo this though is risk not desire!

[YEM]

Maybe so, however I know of at least two companies that have sent literature to councils and public sector organisations, only to be told that they would love to work with them and to get onto preferred supplier lists - the problem is, such lists are only usually updated/changed every 2 or 3 years.

It makes me laugh really, how one minute the government is pro-enterprise yet they don't want to do business with the small guy!

We are constantly being sent press releases for YEM, about how the DTI is making it easier for SME's and how Gordon Brown is very much pro enterprise and wants enterprise summer schools for kids - yet when it comes down to it, it is the same people who are putting more and more policies and strategies in place that just don't help the small business, but actually hinder them

[daveashton]

You also have the apples rule with regards to Government bodies that is crazy because it stops innovation. We spoke on behalf of group of companies to the SNHS about this and they admit that if they cannot get 3 quotes for the same thing it makes it very hard to purchase i.e. they need to compare apples with apples to establish best value!