Blog Entry

Most VARs serve clients at every point on the size spectrum, ranging from small local businesses to larger corporate accounts. For the most part, this kind of diversity in your client base is a positive thing. By serving a wide range of customers, you will help your business stay agile and adaptable.

But if you’re looking to bolster your business with a few high-value clients, it pays to know a few tricks geared specifically toward snaring major corporate accounts. Having a stable of clients in the upper strata of the corporate hierarchy can really boost your bottom line and help ensure that your business will be booming even when the economy hits a rough patch.

Want to add a few major corporate accounts to your client roster? Check out these effective tips and tricks, and you should be wheeling and dealing with CEOs and other corporate VIPs in no time at all.

Sell your firm’s speed and agility.  For corporate clients whose organizations are often enmeshed in a labyrinth of bureaucratic paper-pushing and buck-passing, doing business with smaller, more streamlined partner firms can often be a breath of fresh air. Make sure you emphasize your ability to make decisions, kick-start projects, and deliver top-quality results within a very condensed timeframe.

Demonstrate top-notch subject matter expertise.  No matter what size your firm is, you can level the playing field with the big players by staying on the cutting-edge of technology. If you demonstrate a knowledge base that equals or exceeds that of your competitors, along with the streamlined processes and cost savings that smaller firms offer, you’ll be a shoo-in to win to some high-value corporate clients.

Project an air of unassailable confidence.  Even if you’re shaking in your boots during your meeting with a C-level decision-maker, cultivate an aura of poise and self-assurance. The old adage “Fake it ‘til you make it” might come in handy as a mantra. Practice your poker face until you’re absolutely sure you can pull off an air of polished professionalism throughout your entire meeting.

Assign a special team to track and manage high-value opportunities.  If finding and landing top-level corporate accounts is one of your key business objectives, consider dedicating a significant proportion of your firm’s time and resources to this undertaking. These kinds of opportunities won’t just fall into your lap; however, if you dedicate all the spare resources your team can muster to seeking these opportunities out, you’ll stand a much better chance of succeeding.

Fine-tune every part of your firm’s public image.  When you’re gunning for high-value corporate accounts, it’s worth it to invest a little extra in making sure your marketing collateral is up to snuff. Top-level corporate decision-makers are a highly discerning bunch, and chintzy-looking brochures, pamphlets, or other materials could put the kibosh on your deal.

Do you have any foolproof tips for winning over large corporate clients? What’s worked and what’s flopped? Share your tips and experiences in the comments.