INSIDE: Large accounts have deep pockets. What feels expensive to you is actually very affordable to them. So always sell to their wallet, not your wallet. (That’s worth reading again).
Nike. Amazon. Apple. Microsoft. These are the big whale accounts that can completely transform your company overnight.
And it just takes one. Get in the door with just one of these big-league logos, play it smart, and you can parlay it to land many others.
But let’s not put the cart ahead of the horse. First things first — how do you land that very first Fortune 500 client?
That’s what we’re covering today. And spoiler alert: it takes some patience and perseverance. But don’t worry — you can cut the learning curve exponentially by applying the tips and tricks I’m covering today.
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And the beautiful thing about enterprise clients is that once the deal is signed and they’re finding real value in your offer, you could have the client for life. So the juice is definitely worth the squeeze.
Ready to graduate to the big leagues? Let’s go.
Sales Tip: Sometimes you only need one or two big clients to exceed revenue goals, when it would take 10+ smaller clients to hit that same target. So it’s worth the effort even if it takes you 5-10x the amount of energy and resources to land Fortune 500.
Pros and Cons of Selling to Fortune 500
Pros:
- They have deeper pockets and bigger budgets
- Often more stability
- Often less micromanaging
- Credibility: helps you land other big clients
Cons:
- Longer sales cycle
- Complex decision making process
- Can be slow-moving
Is Cold Calling Enough?
If you follow the advice online, you’ll get a lot of this: “Set up trigger events to get notified of leadership changes and blah, blah, blah. It’s always the same old tactics that are frankly overhyped and over-played.
Now I’m not saying trigger events don’t work. I’m not saying cold email and cold calling don’t work. The truth is, they work extremely well when executed correctly.
But you have to take the blinders off when gunning for Fortune 500 clients and other large accounts.
It’s not enough to send cold emails and make some cold calls. You have to wise up to how big accounts do business.
Sales Tip: You can’t cold call big clients like Nvidia the same way you would mid-market clients. It just won’t work. You have to have an “in.” And you have to have experience on your side. Not up to the task? Get in touch with me asap. Here at C-Level Partners, we’ll do the work for you and book you meetings with key decision-makers of today’s biggest companies.
First, Hand-pick Your Prospects
There are exactly 500 Fortune 500 companies. Go figure. So again, don’t spray and pray. You’ll burn through this list in a few days and get zero responses. And we want maximum return for our efforts.
So instead, go down a list in the industries you serve, and hand-pick a dozen brands to reach out to. Don’t worry, you can wash, rinse, repeat this process once you’ve worked through this first dozen.
Be selective. Only pick the brands that resonate with you — their mission, their aesthetic, their essence. Also ask yourself: who would benefit the most from buying my offer? And which accounts would I absolutely love to land and/or work with daily?
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Button It Up!
Now it’s time to button-up your digital presence. Make sure your website is in order, your LinkedIn profile is looking sharp, YOU yourself are looking sharp (time for a fresh shave and haircut?), and you generally have a polished presence, online and off. This matters. Key decision-makers at large accounts want to deal with trusted advisors, not fly-by-night rookies.
Sales Tip: When selling to enterprise brands, you can use case studies from mid-market clients, that’s fine. But the moment you start getting results for your Fortune 500 client, be sure to package it into a case study. And you’ll leverage this case study for future Fortune 500 brands you approach.
Raise Your Prices
Now this doesn’t apply to all industries and offers, but seriously consider: Are my prices so low that my offer feels cheap? If your price point is too low, you won’t be taken seriously. Or your prospect will feel like it’s too good to be true, and they won’t bite.
Enterprise accounts have deep pockets and surprisingly big budgets. What feels expensive to you is actually very affordable for them. So always sell to their wallet, not your wallet. (That’s worth reading again).
It might be time to double or triple your price. Or otherwise revisit your pricing structure. At the very least, have an “Enterprise” option that appeals to enterprise brands. They want to spend their budget, trust me.
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Quality Referrals are King
Find someone who can help you get your foot in the door. This might be a LinkedIn connection, a friend of a friend, or better yet, a referral from one of your existing clients. Go deep here and find that second- or third-degree of separation who can make the intro for you. You might have to hustle for this, but remember that quality referrals are game-changers.
Sales Hack: Rake in Referrals by Exceeding Expectations
You have to get that first meeting in the books. Once you sit in front of a C-suite decision-maker of a large brand, you’ll be empowered to do it again, and again, and again. You’ll know that it’s possible. And it’s quite the adrenaline rush; a rush that you’ll want more of.
Just keep in mind that timing is key when it comes to asking for referrals. I recommend asking your client for a referral 2-3 days after they praise your work. This is the sweet spot. They’ll open up their rolodex and share the wealth.
Get Creative
You know what Marc Pritchard, the CMO of P&G, gets 10,000 of every month? Cold emails and cold calls. That’s what.
You know what he gets zero of every month? A printed out industry report, sent to his office, addressed to him, with your handwritten notes in the margins that calls out key trends and speaks the lingo — the very metrics and goals — that are in his company’s annual report and that he is responsible for.
Could you imagine receiving something like this?! You would take the time to read through it, no doubt. And you would be heartless not to respond.
The bottom line here is that you must stand out in a crowded and competitive market. This isn’t a recommendation. It’s a non-negotiable. If you don’t, you might as well pack it up and continue selling to the mom-and-pops with shoestring budgets.
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Final Words
As you can see, selling to the enterprise Fortune 500 account isn’t rocket science, but it does take a different approach than what you’re used to.
And this isn’t an exhaustive guide, there are other tips that I haven’t mentioned. Like don’t be afraid to go lateral in the company to contact prospects in different roles and departments. Or go up the ladder and down the ladder, hitting different points in the chain of command where it makes sense.
Sales Tip: Big brands have loads of roles you can sell to. If you can’t get the CTO, try a tech-adjacent role like the Chief Growth Officer. If your offer makes some sense for the finance department, go there. Just don’t give up after hearing “No” from one employee. There are dozens of other decision-makers in the company with similar buying power.
Just remember to bring massive value in some way, shape, or form. These large accounts are absolutely worth the extra effort. I said it once and I’ll say it again: This juice is worth the squeeze. You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso