From Entrepreneurial Institute: The Essential Steps Needed to Land Corporate Contracts
Build relationships with corporate diversity teams, develop a niche and select the best person to sell your business to win and retain corporate contracts. Seasoned procurement professionals offered that advice during a Wednesday afternoon panel focusing on "The Essential Steps Needed to Land Corporate Contracts." Make your company stand out by knowing what your niche is, they advised. If you are just starting a business, consider industries and services where there are no minority businesses. "We are looking for minority suppliers but avoid saturated markets," said Vonshe M. Jenkins, senior vice president and director of supplier diversity and development for Bank of America. Other panelists joining Jenkins were Darlene Owens, global supplier diversity program manager at Dell, Dominica Groom, director of global supplier diversity for Marriott International, Inc., and Donovan Casanave, support service manager, supplier diversity and diversity outreach organization for Shell oil Company. Speakers also discussed some don’ts. Don’t be afraid to form strategic alliances, advised Casanave. "Sometimes they don’t happen because people worry whose name is first." One way not to win a contract is by walking in with our competitors’ products, said Owens, who works for Dell. "I had a couple of potential suppliers come in to talk to our buyers and they [did] their presentations on our competitors’ computers." Another mistake that will take you out of the running is carelessness. Make sure you "customize your communication" said Jenkins, whose first name is often mangled. Spell names correctly and send your message to the correct person and company. "If you don’t, it speaks volumes. The small details do matter." |
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