Approaching the big boys

For those of you who are familiar with my current website project because of my request for feedback, this is completely non-related to that project.

I am curious: Does anyone have any experience or advice on how to approach a high-level decision maker in a very large corporation (ie: major credit card issuer)? What is the accepted protocol once a particular individual is identified as the primary target? Contact secretary? Send marketing letter by mail? Obtain email address?

I realize this is no ordinary feat and normally I would think to start by getting a lower level decision-maker in my corner to push me upward, but this is a proposal involving Intellectual Property (a patent) and I do not think lower-level people would have the slightest idea what to do with it.

This patent is for a very timely solution to credit card fraud and identity theft. The goal is to obtain a licensing agreement. Several other major credit card issuers are already using this solution (although they are not currently licensed with us).

Any suggestions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I am curious: Does anyone have any experience or advice on how to approach a high-level decision maker in a very large corporation (ie: major credit card issuer)?

I realize this is no ordinary feat...

RM, I'm confused by your question. Your "feat" isn't really unique. Isn't this what we largely do in sales? It appears that you are targeting one (or a few individuals) to present your idea to. So the question you've asked here is how do you get in front of him/her?

But--the real question is: Who--within that person's circle (inside or outside of the company) can tell you how to proceed in getting an interview?

You will not find that answer here!

I recently was able to arrange an interview for a friend with the head of a multinational corporation with sales of several billion. I did it by contacting the executive secretary in a pertinent division of that company and asked her how it could be done.

She said that she would arrange the meeting personally. It happened.

[quote=Gary Boye]

You will not find that answer here!

QUOTE]
But I just did. I was not looking for someone to get me an audience with so and so, and tell me the magic formula to get results, I only wanted suggestions or stories of how others have done it. That is an incredible story! That approach may or may not work for me, but it's one that worked for someone, so that makes it a good starting approach for me.

I realize that you probably just put yourself "out there" without the benefit of someone telling you it worked for them, but you have much more sales experience than I; hence my reasoning for asking. Your story not only gave me an idea of where to start, but it gave me inspiration. To me this seemed an unsurmountable challenge. I did not even know where to begin. Now I know it might be doable!

Thanks Gary.

[quote=RainMaker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

You will not find that answer here!

QUOTE]
But I just did.

And I knew you would, just like I know you're a superstar in the making, RM. You are, you know.

WOW! Thanks!

"The best way for you to make the sale is to be in control of the situation. If you make the mistake of letting your prospect become a salesperson on your behalf (goes to the partner/decision maker instead of you), you will lose. Every time."
-Jeffrey Gitomer from The Sales Bible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

RM, I recently was able to arrange an interview for a friend with the head of a multinational corporation with sales of several billion. I did it by contacting the executive secretary in a pertinent division of that company and asked her how it could be done.

She said that she would arrange the meeting personally. It happened.

And, I'll bet it's not the first time that Gary got to the top executive that way.

I'm a partner in a company that sets up appointments for salespeople with the officers of major companies, and we do it in a manner that is very similar to how Gary does it. We charge a lot for that service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JacquesWerth

And, I'll bet it's not the first time that Gary got to the top executive that way.

I'm a partner in a company that sets up appointments for salespeople with the officers of major companies, and we do it in a manner that is very similar to how Gary does it. We charge a lot for that service.

So far, I have not succeeded in making contact with any executive secretaries because switchboard operators start grilling me and I have not yet formulated an effective response to prevent me from getting dumped into the bucket with the fifty gazillion companies who want to become suppliers.

We are not even a company--simply a private inventor with a business method patent (in other words, a patent for a process--not a tangible product) that, if licensed exclusively, could give a credit card company not only the strategic advantage of becoming the leader in credit card fraud and identity theft prevention, but become the gatekeeper with the right to exclude other credit card companies (or charge fees to other issuers) who want to use the technology.

We have a very unique offer, but we have no idea how to get it in front of the right people and currently no funds to hire others to assist us. Gary's advice has already inspired me to keep trying. If you have any specific suggestions that you would be willing to share with me, Jacques, I would be very grateful.

Or if you know of anyone who would be willing to make an attempt to assist us in this venture for a piece of the result (so we would not have to pay up front), I would be very excited to speak to them. Maybe that sounds like an odd offer, but we have managed to get a high-end 450-attorney law firm to fight a credit card giant (currently infringing our patent) in a mulit-million dollar lawsuit for us on full contingency, maybe I can use the same approach to get this patent licensed. The market is very ripe for this patent.

Rainmaker,

Try applying the same advice you've received about recruiting the executive assistant to the switchboard operators.

In my experience, if the person answering the phone grills you, then part of their job is screening calls. So, tell them what you are trying to accomplish, and ask if they, or the [Title]'s exec assistant could help you determine the best way to obtain the information you need.

Personally, I'd start out saying that "I have patented a process that would be very valuable when used by a credit card company like yours. I am trying to determine who in your organization would be responsible for reviewing potential new business opportunities. Who would you suggest I talk to?"

From what I can understand, you don't want to be a supplier, you want to establish a licensing agreement. So that would be more of a business opportunity, to me. If they ask if you want to be a supplier, however they choose to say it, I'd explain that you are not trying to sell the organization anything. You want to discuss a licensing agreement for a patented process.

Somtimes if you throw in enough jargon, the gatekeeper will pass you on just because they don't really understand what you're talking about. If they're good at what they do, they'll know that someone else should be evaluating what you are saying.

I'd figure out a title in the organization you want to target. I don't know what your process is, but who would you want to talk to - besides the CEO? Is it someone in finance? fraud? business development? Then, if the person you're talking to doesn't have an idea, you could say "Usually, this type of opportunity is evaluated by the {Title}. Could I speak to that person's assistant?"

And, don't be intimidated by the fact that "you aren't a company". Give yourself a company name. In fact, if you are anticipating negotiating a licensing agreement with a large corporation, you should at least break loose enough money to consult with an attorney. Your counsel may advise you to incorporate, and would be able to tell you what to watch out for, etc.

Hope this makes sense.

Kathleen

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSA-Mktg

Rainmaker,

Try applying the same advice you've received about recruiting the executive assistant to the switchboard operators.

In my experience, if the person answering the phone grills you, then part of their job is screening calls. So, tell them what you are trying to accomplish, and ask if they, or the [Title]'s exec assistant could help you determine the best way to obtain the information you need.

Personally, I'd start out saying that "I have patented a process that would be very valuable when used by a credit card company like yours. I am trying to determine who in your organization would be responsible for reviewing potential new business opportunities. Who would you suggest I talk to?"

From what I can understand, you don't want to be a supplier, you want to establish a licensing agreement. So that would be more of a business opportunity, to me. If they ask if you want to be a supplier, however they choose to say it, I'd explain that you are not trying to sell the organization anything. You want to discuss a licensing agreement for a patented process.

Somtimes if you throw in enough jargon, the gatekeeper will pass you on just because they don't really understand what you're talking about. If they're good at what they do, they'll know that someone else should be evaluating what you are saying.

I'd figure out a title in the organization you want to target. I don't know what your process is, but who would you want to talk to - besides the CEO? Is it someone in finance? fraud? business development? Then, if the person you're talking to doesn't have an idea, you could say "Usually, this type of opportunity is evaluated by the {Title}. Could I speak to that person's assistant?"

And, don't be intimidated by the fact that "you aren't a company". Give yourself a company name. In fact, if you are anticipating negotiating a licensing agreement with a large corporation, you should at least break loose enough money to consult with an attorney. Your counsel may advise you to incorporate, and would be able to tell you what to watch out for, etc.

Hope this makes sense.

Kathleen

Thank you, Kathleen. Very good advice. Thank you. The good news with these giant companies is that you can keep calling back because you rarely get the same operator

I usually dig around the corporate page to target one or two people who seem to head up an appropriate area of the company.

Our counsel is representing us in discussions with a software company whom we have targeted for potential licensing, but while they are great legal minds, I lack confidence in the marketing and negotiating abilities. They are lawyers. They think inside the box.

If we were to somehow manage to get an audience with a credit card issuer, we would definitely bring in the attorneys to draw up agreements or make legal determinations regarding our entity. Currently they have requested that we do not transfer ownership of the patent from the sole inventor to a legal entity. If we go to trial, we can get more empathy from a jury as a private individual whose rights were trampled by the giant.

Approaching the big boys

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