Landing a marquee account: Your reputation is key

Search out the client list at CTCreative, Inc., a St. Charles strategic marketing company, and you'll find, among others, the Indianapolis Colts, two divisions of global manufacturing power ITW, Colorado State University and Richard Wolf Medical Instruments, a subsidiary of a German company at the top of the list when it comes to endoscopic medical equipment.

Ask Manny du Mont about the businesses du Mont Communications, Inc., works with and he'll list Sears Holdings, energy giant BP, Office Max and Citi.

Ah, if only small businesses could land those marquee accounts. But wait: Small businesses already have. Wheaton-based du Mont Communications is Manny du Mont and independent contractors as needed to flesh out the marketing and training materials du Mont provides.

CTCreative, says President Chuck Thomas, has nine employees.

So how can the rest of us land the accounts whose names provide instant credibility? Contacts matter, of course, but conversations with du Mont and Thomas indicate that a combination of a business's ability to produce and its reputation is what really matters.

"We got Office Max because some of the Sears people I worked with moved to Office Max," du Mont says. However, he adds, "We still had to do a presentation. You have to create a treatment, put together something they like."

Equally important when it comes to building a reputation, "you have to be flexible, go the extra step," du Mont says. "These days big agencies are going after my stuff, but we're OK when we can do a presentation."

Thomas and du Mont are in much the same place when it comes to landing new business. In addition to "understanding the value proposition that makes you different from everyone else, the big guys must want to talk to you," Thomas says. Although he puts great store in "the relentless pursuit of truth (that) builds trust among business leaders," ultimately, Thomas says, your business and its reputation must be noticed.

That can happen in several ways. Thomas, who builds branding campaigns around client business values, believes that once you establish a value-and-trust focused relationship, "People will trust you. They'll open doors."

For example, the connection with the Colts came when "one of their providers was aware of our value proposition, called me and said, 'I think we can partner up.' " CTCreative's relationship with Colorado State was born when Thomas did a podium presentation CSU people attended.

Still, your business must produce. That, Thomas says, starts with "Understanding the market and the language set (bigger businesses) use. Larger businesses have a completely different language, a different culture.

"Larger organizations have all sorts of issues - internal communication, poor customer engagement. Senior leadership spends a good part of the day in how to overcome problems."

• Questions, comments to Jim Kendall, JKendall@121MarketingResources.com.

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