How did you land your first "big fish" client?

Presently our projects are in the $3k?$10k range, but we're ready to move in to the $10k?$25k market. We need to land a big fish, but how do we do it? Is reaching the bigger clients that much different from the local small business market?

I was a BDM for a large web development company, shooting for the 80-120k web project range. A lot were start-ups with big ideas and big budgets, and they'd generally get 5 quotes minimum.

To me, it's always been about making a relationship with the client, that's the first step. If you're the kind of guy that they feel they could take their wife out to dinner with or have a few beers with, you're in the right space. I personally don't do business with anyone that I don't like - and yes that's cost me plenty of deals, all of which I was happy to pass up on.

The next is put the time into a proposal, not just the content, but also the design.

It's worth spending the $200 to get a graphic designer to make something shit-hot, then print it all out on expensive thick paper. Trust me - this is the difference between you and the competition.

It's your proposal, the willingness you have to get out from behind your computer and go to networking meetings, your creativity and having a kick ass personality. I have seen guys/gals go in and make killer deals that we only dream of doing.

I have been fortunate to live in a mecca area where it's very business oriented and there is lots of money to indulge in.

The guy above you said it right on the money, if you have the money to spend or they are on staff then put a proposal together showing the visuals, the words and effort. You can tell a good proposal by how much effort is placed in it.

Mail it to them so they have the hard copy, email it to them and schedule a meeting. If they are local.

Good Luck,

Try advertising in google etc? If you are a web designer try going to big sites out there and if they look like crap give them a call and setup a consultation. My company always has people approaching us to tell us why they can make our site look better and why we should pay them thousands

If you are going to land that big a fish (read whale) then a lot of factors come into play that go beyond your work experience. The client will be spending big money so he needs to know that in the end he will benefit from it. Also you need to work more on your relationship with him. Get some better people to work for you who will give the client his mony worth.

A big part of it is networking. Become friends with the big fish, and you will soon be doing business with them. Make friends... convince them that you're in their league, and then they'll be asking to do business with you.

I recently went to a convention and that turned out to be an amazing way to network with the big fish.

More contacts - more opportunities.

our 1st big client is from referral and the other one just provided more projects when he saw results from a trial project.