Boortha

Enterprise account executive

How do you prospect into national accounts?

I'm a prospecting fiend, but anytime I try to prospect into an account that has locations all across the nation, I have never managed to make any traction.

For those of you who do this on the regular, what advice do you have?

💺 Outside Sales

🔎 Prospecting

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SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

Usually there are going to be 3-4 different types of buying personas you are selling into. Find those either at each location or look into the corporate level if they have them so that you are speaking directly to the person over all locations. If there isn't that person and you have to go to a specific location, have a few questions prepared.

What does your buying process typically look like?
Who else needs to be looped in?
Do your individual locations have buying power or is that a more centralized decision?

Things like this will ultimately allow you to better understand where they are at, and where you need to be to close them.

Epictetus

Valued Contributor

SaaSy

What he said.

Edit: or what she said.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

For someone this new around here, @SoccerandSaleshas been dropping some SERIOUS knowledge.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

I appreciate you @jefejust trying to make sure the things I am sharing actually have some value

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

It's working. Let's hope other newcomers take note of the shining example you're setting.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Yes, absolutely. A very welcome new voice.

Rallier

Politicker

SDR Manager and Consultant

I'd look back at your closed/won deals with national accounts. Where did they originate from? What's the title, process, persona, etc.

Once you have an understanding of how other national accounts came in, you can simply replicate it.

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

Professional Day Ruiner

I recently moved into prospecting strategic accounts (so multibillion $ national accounts). Its definitely not easy. My strategy recently has been to get more targeted with my approach. reach out to specific people based on title with targeted messaging specific to them.

Boortha

Good Citizen

Enterprise account executive

What tips do you have for creating targeted messaging?

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

Professional Day Ruiner

create messaging around specific job titles that you can prospect to and have the messaging be specific to their day to day.

For example, I prospect CISO's, CIO's, IT Managers, VP of IT's, security admins, and backup admins.

If I'm sending an email to a CISO I'll make it security focused. If I'm writing an email to a director of IT I'll make it focused on how efficient our product is, backup admin focus on how simple our backups are, etc.

From there I'll use white papers and case studies in the emails from similar businesses. I.E. if I'm prospecting a major hospital I'll put in case studies we have with other huge hospitals.

Boortha

Good Citizen

Enterprise account executive

That sounds a lot like the personas I target. I’m in physical security.

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

Professional Day Ruiner

I'm in data security/backup, so yeah super similar ICP I'm sure

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I feel like it gets easier with time, you start learning their company lingo and start getting intros to start meeting people.

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

It depends on who your technical and economic decision makers are located. Gotta start there.

JustGonnaSendIt

Politicker

Burn Towns, Get Money

IMO this depends on what you're selling. Can you help us out with some more information?

What kind of product, how is it delivered, average deal size for a national account?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I'd add what's your ICP?

Boortha

Good Citizen

Enterprise account executive

I had to look up that acronyms, since I thought it stood for Insane Clown Posse. We can work with anybody that wants to keep bad guys out and let good guys in, so it’s tough to narrow it down.
I’m doing a bunch of work in SLED, but I want to expand my skill set.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

👀🍿

Boortha

Good Citizen

Enterprise account executive

I work for a large security integrator. We sell intrusion, access control, video cameras, and fire alarms. deal sizes start at $10k, but I’m working on some as large as $2M

JustGonnaSendIt

Politicker

Burn Towns, Get Money

Ah that makes sense on why you are concerned about the number and variety of locations.

Can't offer as much help here, other than you're probably going to be most successful by doing both of the following:
- Identifying the local leader for these needs
- identifying the central decision-making process related to these needs

The big win would be to get a contract for all locations. But I get a feeling decisions are made on a more granular level. Some offices may have pre-installed systems if it's a leased space in a multi-tenant building. Whereas a campus that's wholly owned or leased by the national account would probably be easier to include in a more centralized deal.

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Boortha

How do you prospect into national accounts?

20 comments

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