Approaching Corporate Customers

Approaching Corporate Customers

Approaching large clients such as corporations or school districts for the first time can be a daunting experience for any business owner. But with some preparation, a set plan, and proper business etiquette you will be well on your way to reeling in the big fish clientele you want. Thanks to Neil on Facebook for this great blog suggestion -- we hope this helps, Neil!  

Approaching Corporate Customers

We spoke with Miguel Brito of Spa City iRepair, a business owner who has been extremely successful in approaching and landing large corporate accounts and school district clients. He gave us some pointers and helpful hints he's learned about the process along the way.    

1. Research

Do your research! Every client big and small wants you to understand their business, so find out everything you can about the company or school district you plan on approaching. Know their mission statement, their company values, how many devices they currently have in circulation, and what their current repair process is. These are important pieces of information to know when planning and personalizing your presentation/sales pitch to the client. It also shows them you've done your homework, that you understand their goals and that you care about their success as well as your own.  

2. Planning

Planning is key when it comes to approaching large clients or school districts. It's important you find the correct person to speak to and plan to meet with them, preferably face-to-face. I asked Miguel how he went about approaching his first school district client: "All I had to do was go to a local school district and ask for a meeting with the Director of Technology. After the meeting was arranged, I introduced myself to him and asked to learn more about their current process when it comes to broken iPads and iMacs." After learning more about the rigamarole that specific school district went through to have their iPads repaired, he put them on paper. "Corporate clients like to see things on paper with projection of results." Convincing clients they need your services can often be as simple as putting the numbers where they can see them. Simply putting the numbers on paper and comparing their current state of business to the deal you're offering them can be all the convincing they need. To convince them further, Miguel offered his large clients a 15% Multi-Repair discount on invoices of 10 or more devices. Having plans already set to share with the client is an important part of the pitch and shows them you're fully prepared and ready to take on their business. Offering to perform repairs on-site or even offering to be their "on-call" technician can also help convince clients who are currently working with mail-in repair centers or long turn-around times. Corporate clients are busy and often have important, time-sensitive information on their devices; these clients usually require (or prefer) quicker turn-around times. Offer whatever you can to make it as easy as possible for the client to get their devices fixed.  

3. Presentation

According to Miguel, presentation is the most important part of acquiring corporate clients. "Personality and appearance are key when it comes to speaking with corporate clients. They will not take you seriously if you show up unshaven, dressed in a worn-down t-shirt and flip flops." No matter what field you're in, professionalism in dress and the way you present yourself is the most important part of making a good first impression to prospective clients. Present yourself and your business as a trustworthy resource for fixing their broken devices. Remember: you're offering them a solution to their problem. Research and plan your presentation well so you can deliver it with ease and confidence. This means having a strong grasp of the figures and costs associated with your proposal so you can back it up with facts should they ask questions. Be confident in your delivery and personable in your approach and when all else fails, fake it 'til you make it. Act like one of the big guys and don't downplay your talents or success; be confident in your proposal and they will be, too. Many technicians even offer to fix a device or two for free as a sample of their work. While you might see it as working for free, think of it more as aiding in your long term success. Building relationships is important when it comes to winning over corporate clients; the client will appreciate your effort and if your work is impeccable, they have no reason to say no!     We asked Miguel how much of his business at Spa City iRepair is now comprised of corporate clients and school districts. "I would have to say at least 35% of our business is now comprised of corporate clients -- and because of our recognition with these corporate clients, our general clientele has increased considerably." In addition to a more steady stream of revenue and larger orders, added credibility to your repair shop is another benefit to servicing and adding large corporate accounts to your client list. While repairing dozens of devices at a time might seem overwhelming at first, that client could easily become a large contributor to your business. If you're planning on approaching a large corporate or school district customer for the first time, we wish you luck in your endeavors and hope we could offer some helpful tips. Thanks to Miguel from Spa City iRepair for contributing his helpful insights and past experience to this article! Do you have any good advice to offer the Repair Community? What works best for you when approaching large clients? Let us know in the comments below!