Connecting with large corporations is an ambition for many entrepreneurs and small businesses. Securing a business deal with a major company can be challenging, but a strategic approach can lead to significant growth and opportunity.
Identify the Right Person to Contact
The first step in contacting a large company is identifying the correct individual. Sending messages to generic inboxes is an ineffective mistake. Your goal is to pinpoint the decision-maker with the authority to act on your proposal, which requires researching the company’s internal structure.
The role you target depends on your product or service. For raw materials, contact the Procurement Manager or a category-specific buyer. For marketing services, aim for the VP of Marketing or a Brand Manager. For technology solutions, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or a Head of Engineering is the appropriate contact.
Professional networking platforms like LinkedIn are valuable for this research. Use its search and filtering capabilities to map a company’s organizational chart and find individuals with relevant job titles. Examining their profiles provides insight into their responsibilities, confirming they are the right person to approach and preventing you from wasting time.
It is also helpful to understand the roles within a decision-making unit. Beyond the primary decision-maker, there are influencers, users, and gatekeepers. While the person with budget authority is your main target, understanding these other players refines your strategy. For example, a department head might be the decision-maker for a new software tool, even if a C-level executive holds the final budget.
Find Their Direct Contact Information
After identifying the right person, you must obtain their direct contact details. This ensures your message bypasses gatekeepers and reaches its intended recipient. While some executives list their contact information publicly, you will often need to employ specific techniques to find a direct email address or phone number.
Start with the company’s official website. Pages like “About Us,” “Leadership,” or “Press Releases” can include executive bios with direct email addresses. Press releases are useful, as they may contain contact information for media inquiries that goes to the individual or their team.
If the website yields no results, try to deduce the company’s email format. Most use a standard structure like firstname.lastname@company.com or f.lastname@company.com. You can also use online tools and sales intelligence platforms like Hunter.io or Apollo.io, which find corporate email addresses by scanning the web for public information.
A person’s LinkedIn profile might list their email in the contact info section. If not, browser extensions designed to find emails from LinkedIn profiles can help. As a last resort, you can call the company’s main line and ask to be connected, though this is less effective than finding a direct email.
Craft a Compelling Initial Message
Your initial message must capture the recipient’s attention and prompt a response. Executives receive many emails, so your communication must be concise, personalized, and convey immediate value. A generic message will be deleted, so your email must feel timely and relevant.
The subject line is your first opportunity to make an impression. It should be short, specific, and intriguing to avoid being cut off on mobile devices. A subject line like “Question about [Their Company’s Recent Project]” is more effective than “Business Proposal.” Personalizing it with the recipient’s name or company can also increase open rates.
The email body must be personalized and focused on the recipient. Start by referencing something specific, like a recent company achievement or a post they shared online, to show you have done your research. After the opening, briefly state your value proposition by explaining the problem you solve and how it benefits their role.
Conclude every message with a single, clear call-to-action. Avoid vague closings like “Let me know what you think.” Instead, make a specific, low-friction request, such as, “Would you be open to a 15-minute call next week to discuss this further?” This makes it easy for the executive to respond and moves the conversation forward.
Leverage Professional Networking for a Warm Introduction
An alternative to cold outreach is seeking a warm introduction through your professional network. An introduction from a mutual connection provides credibility and increases the likelihood of a response. This method leverages an existing relationship to build trust and bypass the skepticism of unsolicited contact.
LinkedIn is an effective tool for this strategy. After identifying your target, check their profile for mutual connections. If you have a trusted contact who knows them, ask for an introduction. Make the request easy for your contact by providing a short, forwardable blurb about your business and its value.
Attending industry conferences and trade shows is another way to secure warm introductions. These events bring together professionals who are open to new connections. Participating allows you to meet executives in person, which can be more impactful than digital outreach, and build rapport before making a pitch.
When you get an introduction, the follow-up is important. If introduced via email, respond promptly and include your mutual connection in the reply to keep them informed. A warm introduction transfers a degree of trust from your contact to you, setting the stage for a more productive conversation.
Follow Up Without Being a Nuisance
Securing a deal with a large company rarely happens after one message, so a persistent follow-up plan is necessary. The goal is to add value with each communication rather than simply “checking in.” This shows professional persistence without becoming a nuisance.
A structured follow-up cadence is helpful. Send your first follow-up three to five business days after your initial email if you get no response. A second follow-up can be sent a week after that, but do not send more than three to avoid irritating the recipient. Keep your follow-ups in the same email thread to provide context.
Each follow-up message should offer something new instead of repeating your initial pitch. Provide additional value by sharing a relevant industry article, a case study, or a new idea related to their business goals. This approach positions you as a helpful resource, not just a salesperson.
Varying your communication method can be effective. If emails get no response, a polite LinkedIn message or a phone call may be appropriate. End your follow-up sequence with a polite closing. Let them know you will not continue to reach out, but leave the door open for them to connect in the future.