Here’s a mistake I find new coaches and course creators make when they’re just beginning their business-to-business journeys.  They try to sell to big companies. Sure, it seems appealing to sell to places like Apple, Proctor & Gamble, or Bank of America. After all, the idea behind landing business clients is so they’ll hire you to work with lots of their employees year-after-year. So, it makes sense that larger clients would lead to repeat business for years to come. 

Here’s the catch.  Unless you already have an established connection, it’s tough to break into large companies. It's not impossible, but it takes time. Here's why:

• The right decision makers might be hard to track down. They might not even be in the same country as you. You'll have to do your research on Google, LinkedIn, or other online sites to identify their names and contact information. Then, find the right balance between following them and stalking them, if they're even active on social media. 

• Large company decision makers might not think they need you because they already have an army of internal learning professionals who deliver their own content.

• Large organizations often employ organizational psychologists and other licensed professionals to provide coaching and employee support. When they use outside resources, they most likely have established relationships with international service providers and require certifications to work with their employees.

• Large organizations often have lofty requirements for customization, securely housing data and learning content, reporting, and course/coaching administration that might require you to bring on an extra set of hands.

• You might have to jump through hoops during their procurement and contracting processes. I once had to be at my office in the middle of the night to receive a call from an international procurement person who wanted to validate that I had a legitimate business. And, don't count on large companies paying you in anything less than 90 days.

Now, I'm not trying to kill your big dreams. It is completely possible for you to work with organizations of any size. Building your business to meet the expectations of the big guns will force you to think bigger and to add a layer of sophistication to your organization that you might not even be considering today. Plus, having a few big names on your client list is great for building instant credibility with prospects.

On the other hand, I'd like to share something with you. I live in Western New York and for the first decade I was in business, almost 100% of my clients were local. Even in my community where there were about 15 companies that employed more than 2,500 people, I was able to quickly build a thriving, multi-six figure business. 

Although I've expanded to doing business globally and I work with several Fortune 500 companies, most of my clients today still have fewer than 1,000 employees. In fact, many of them have fewer than 500 employees. 

You see, that size company needs you because they don’t have large human resources departments to handle their training and coaching needs. That size company appreciates you because they don’t have your expertise in-house. They like to build a relationship with you and you become part of their family. It's actually very rewarding to see small-to-midsize organizations evolve over time, knowing you had a small part in their growth.

Small-to-midsize organizations are often very easy to work for and with. They generally don't have advanced requirements and they'll look to you to advise them about how they should proceed.

This target market doesn't have to only include public or private companies. It can include not-for-profit organizations, healthcare systems, government agencies, schools and school districts, and churches. 

I bet, those small-to-midsize organizations are right in your backyard, making it easy for you to connect with them and to serve them. Try Googling "private sector employers in [your local community]" or "largest employers in [your community]." See what pops up. If you live close to a major city, the list will be endless. Even if you live in a midsize town like I do, you'll have a long list of prospects to grow your business. 

You might be thinking, Amy, how did you get into the big companies you serve? I'll tell you. My largest clients primarily came from 2 sources. First, human resources professionals from my smaller clients took new jobs at larger organizations and brought me into their new company. Second, I started working at tiny, local manufacturing plants that were part of much larger organizations. I established a good track record and they referred me to other departments within their companies. 

So, start small. Start local. Start easy. Perfect your approach, processes, and systems. That way, you'll be ready for the big ones when they come. Or who knows…you might just love serving your local small-business community with your whole heart! 💙