How to Persist and Win Large Clients: Proven Strategies for B2B Sales

Securing large clients takes more than skill; it requires strategy, patience, and resilience.

I refuse to give up on large clients. My peers thought I was wasting my time, assuming it was better to move on to other, often smaller, companies. However, I viewed their approach as too soft, lacking the grit and persistence needed to capture major accounts. My rationale was straightforward: eventually, every company changes suppliers. This insight is just as applicable to you as it is to me. Every client you possess now will inevitably change from your company to a competitor.

1. Strategic Prospecting to Win Large B2B Clients

The primary challenge in winning your dream client is the fact that they already have an established competitor relationship keeping the chair warm. Your goal is to replace them, but this takes time and a carefully crafted approach. To achieve this, you must be patient, professional, and strategic in your prospecting—skills emphasized in any advanced B2B sales training program. Find a contact who will open the door for that essential first meeting. Many salespeople who complain about rejection often give up before they’ve truly explored this first strategy. Persistence in prospecting can be the defining factor between a sales win and a missed opportunity.

2. Consistently Stay in Front of Potential Clients’ Minds

Persistence alone isn’t enough; a unique approach is required. To persist in sales, you need an approach beyond cold calling. This strategy speaks directly to serious salespeople—the One-Up professionals. These people have a high degree of experience, knowledge, and sales insights that quickly capture a contact’s attention. This separates them from sales reps who lack the depth to stand out. In pursuing your dream clients, the goal is to remain consistently in the forefront of your contact’s mind. Over time, this will help you gain an ever-greater portion of their mindshare, which becomes crucial when the decision to switch providers arises.

3. Equip Yourself with Insightful Tools and Resources

In today’s sales landscape, having insights at your fingertips is a critical differentiator. You need assets that can initiate the “why change” conversation effectively. Traditional outreach methods, such as email, may not have the same impact in what many call the Cold Outreach Apocalypse. To break through, you’ll need to get creative, perhaps by sending a handwritten note or a highlighted document with your personal insights. Explain why these insights are relevant to the contact’s company and how they can positively impact their results. The more creative and tailored your approach, the more likely you are to capture your contact’s attention and engage them in meaningful conversations.

4. Provide Continuous Value to Stand Out Against Competitors

To maintain a competitive advantage, you must continually create value for your contact. In a sales environment where everyone promises “better solutions,” tangible value is the asset that can distinguish you from the competition and disrupt their hold. By focusing on providing continuous value, you gain a sustainable advantage over both the incumbent and other potential competitors. This approach is more than a strategy; it’s what I call a super-strategy, akin to having One Ring to rule them all, as J.R.R. Tolkien put it. Continuous value will not only keep your contacts interested, but it will also give them concrete reasons to consider a provider switch.

5. Engage and Shift Key Stakeholders

Rejection from a decision-maker is often just the beginning of the process. When faced with a no, remember, that’s only one person in a larger organization. Many other stakeholders may share different perspectives, and among them, there’s likely someone who’s already contemplating a change in providers. Your goal is to identify a new contact who sees the value in partnering with a provider that genuinely cares about improving their outcomes. Think of this as navigating a forest—you may need to change paths to reach your goal. Having the persistence to find a contact who shares your perspective and can join you is key.

6. Utilize a Multi-Channel Sales Approach

A multi-channel approach has become a necessity in B2B sales. While the phone should always be your first point of contact, a single channel often isn’t enough. Use a mix of email, snail mail, video messages, and LinkedIn outreach to increase your chances of securing a meeting. Many sales professionals overlook the power of leaving a voicemail; this is a mistake. The more frequently your contact hears your name, the more familiar you become to them. Familiarity can be the tipping point that ultimately secures your first meeting. Don’t underestimate the importance of channel variety and consistency in staying present.

7. Track, Measure, and Analyze Sales Efforts in Your CRM

One of the most underutilized assets in sales is CRM tracking and analytics. Using your CRM effectively allows you to measure your outreach, interactions, and the assets you’ve shared over time with your dream client and their key contacts. Tracking your sales journey with each client provides insight into what strategies are working and where you may need to adjust. Your CRM is a roadmap that can help you navigate toward winning the business of large clients, offering insights to help you make smarter, data-driven decisions in your pursuit.