Landing large clients can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. The stakes are high, and the sales cycles are long. When you don’t seem to make much progress, you may want to focus on the quicker wins. If you do this, though, you could be missing out on long-term contracts, increased visibility and a boost to your bottom line.
Winning large clients takes persistence, even when things feel slow or discouraging. Anthony Iannarino, a bestselling author and renowned sales expert, refuses to give up on large clients. Why? Because everyone — even the largest, most high-value clients — changes providers eventually. When you stick with it, you can land those large accounts that may seem unrealistic today.
In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Iannarino’s tips for persisting and winning those large clients.
1. Prospect strategically. Your dream client may have an established relationship with another promo provider. How do you get your foot in the door? Iannarino says you must take a strategic approach by finding a contact to agree to a first meeting. Be patient but persistent. This can mean the difference between a win and a missed opportunity.
2. Stay visible. To win those high-value accounts, you need to stay at the forefront of your contacts’ minds. This requires some creativity and going beyond just cold calling. Over time, though, Iannarino says this can help you gain an ever-greater portion of their mindshare, which is crucial when they begin thinking about switching providers.
3. Share your promo expertise. Try sending a handwritten note and a promo you know the prospect will appreciate. Include some of your personal insights or some interesting data that applies to their organization. The more creative and tailored your approach, the likelier you are to capture your contact’s attention, Iannarino says.
4. Provide continuous value. You must continually create value for your contact in order to maintain your competitive edge, Iannarino says. Continuous value keeps your contacts interested and gives them solid reasons to consider switching to your promo company.
5. Engage and shift key stakeholders. So, you hear a “no” from your dream client. That’s just one person in a large organization. Other stakeholders may share different perspectives, Iannarino says, and there’s likely someone else who’s contemplating changing providers. Try to identify a new contact who sees value in partnering with you.
6. Use a multi-channel sales approach. A single channel typically isn’t enough. Iannarino recommends starting with the phone and then using a mix of email, snail mail, video messages and LinkedIn messages. If you get someone’s voicemail, always leave a message. This breeds familiarity.
Instead of chasing after the easy wins, invest your time and effort in the bigger, high-value accounts. Remember to stay patient. Big clients often need time to feel confident in their choices. If you stay the course and focus on providing real value, you just might land that big account and turn it into a long-term, fruitful business relationship.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Anthony Iannarino is a bestselling author and internationally recognized speaker on sales, success, personal development, leadership and entrepreneurship. He’s the founder of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a boutique sales and consulting firm.
