Ask HN: Tips/secrets for partnering with large businesses?

Post by trussi » Tue, Apr 12, 2011, 2:56 AM UTC

SpiralLab wrote: post #16

johngalt wrote: post #9

Start your pitch to the producers not the management. If you're pitching a hospital talk to the doctors/nurses. Bankers for a bank, and associates for a law firm. Don't ask for management or the person in charge. I've dealt with a lot of organizations at a high level. Trying to jump in line and go straight for the CEO will get you lost in the noise. The bosses are already bombarded with requests promising everything.…

Take this advice ! The people that are actually suffering from the problems your business solves are (usually) not managers, CEO, or anyone at the top. It is the people in the middle or bottom. They are usually also so happy to have something that solves their problems, that they will act as an internal champion for you during the sales process. It's cliche, but Art of the Start http://www.guykawasaki.com/the-art-of-…

Post by ricree » Tue, Apr 12, 2011, 3:08 AM UTC

geofflewis wrote: post #18

At Topguest, we’ve signed many deals with big companies such as Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Virgin America, Wyndham, and others despite being in business under a year and not having prior experience in our industry. First, before you even start trying to get a meeting, these 2 things must both be true: • You have a strong hypothesis of what Company X’s specific pain point is, informed by research • If your hypothesis is r…

Post by andresdouglas » Tue, Apr 12, 2011, 5:45 AM UTC

geofflewis wrote: post #18

At Topguest, we’ve signed many deals with big companies such as Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Virgin America, Wyndham, and others despite being in business under a year and not having prior experience in our industry. First, before you even start trying to get a meeting, these 2 things must both be true: • You have a strong hypothesis of what Company X’s specific pain point is, informed by research • If your hypothesis is r…

Post by geofflewis » Tue, Apr 12, 2011, 4:14 PM UTC

ricree wrote: post #23

geofflewis wrote: post #18

At Topguest, we’ve signed many deals with big companies such as Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Virgin America, Wyndham, and others despite being in business under a year and not having prior experience in our industry. First, before you even start trying to get a meeting, these 2 things must both be true: • You have a strong hypothesis of what Company X’s specific pain point is, informed by research • If your hypothesis is r…

This is a really great post. Have you considered posting this as a blog post and submitting it?

Post by geofflewis » Tue, Apr 12, 2011, 4:29 PM UTC

massarog wrote: post #20

geofflewis wrote: post #18

At Topguest, we’ve signed many deals with big companies such as Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Virgin America, Wyndham, and others despite being in business under a year and not having prior experience in our industry. First, before you even start trying to get a meeting, these 2 things must both be true: • You have a strong hypothesis of what Company X’s specific pain point is, informed by research • If your hypothesis is r…

Great information Geoff thanks so much for posting this. Out of curiosity, is this the approach that you took to secure each of the partnerships that you have with the large companies? What was your success/fail rate like before you finally had some biters?