How long has it been since you left that message? A week? Two weeks? Well you can stop holding your breath right now because the chances that you'll get a return call from the decision maker are slim to none.

It doesn't matter that you spent countless hours researching the company, crafting a powerful value proposition and agonizing over the exact words you'd use in your message. It doesn't matter if you were referred by a friend or colleague.

The person you're trying to reach is absolutely swamped. In fact, busy executives usually have only one hour of unslotted time per week. And the average American worker has 59 hours of work sitting on the desk right now. I suspect the numbers are similar across the globe.

Much as you hate to hear this, your phone call was just an unwanted interruption in their already overloaded day. And it's likely you were only one of many sellers who asked for the decision maker's time.

So what can you do to penetrate their consciousness and show up on their radar screen?

Develop a Campaign! To get into a big company today, you need to put together a strong account entry campaign from the very start. A single contact just isn't enough.

You're likely going to need 7-10 touches before you get your foot in the door. This doesn't mean you leave the exact same message every single time. If that's your approach, you'll be perceived as an irritating pest - someone who will never get a meeting.

Instead, you craft a multi-faceted campaign that includes phone calls, emails, mailings and faxes.

Use your research on the targeted account as your starting point.

• What are their goals & objectives?
• What are their strategic business imperatives?
• What critical issues and challenges are they facing?

Analyze this information to determine the difference you can make. What results have similar companies achieved with your product or service?

This is your value proposition. Make sure you're specific (if possible - #s, %s, $$$, timeframes) and use business terminology.

Most likely, your customers have realized several different benefits from using your offering. For example, they may have:

• Shortened turnaround time by 30%. • Achieved record time-to-profitability on a new product launch.

• Eliminated a major bottleneck, saving $150,000 in year one.

The key to developing a campaign is to strategically share the value of working with you over multiple contacts. Don't dump all your "goodies" on the table right away. You may think it really impresses your prospect, but in reality it causes them to turn off. And worse yet, you don't have a good reason to get back with them anymore.

What Does a Campaign Look Like?
To help you understand what an account entry campaign might look like, here's an example that extended over a 8-week period.

1st contact - Left voicemail highlighting value proposition #1.

2nd contact - Left voicemail highlighting value proposition #2.

3rd contact - Faxed cartoon illustrating 'problem' we solve and brief note.

4th contact - Left voicemail, following up on need to get together to address critical business issue.

5th contact - No answer; talked to assistant - found out decision maker out all week. Got email address.

6th contact - Sent email with reiterating earlier value propositions and that I'd call Friday to set up meeting.

7th contact - Spoke with assistant; arranged appointment.

Sound like a lot of work? It is at first because it requires a change in your mindset and you have to plan out your various approaches. But if you look at the amount of time it actually takes for each contact, it really isn't a lot. Plus the upside potential can be extremely lucrative - especially if you turn an initial sale into a long-term, highly profitable business relationship.

By conducting a professional account entry campaign focused on the customer's issues, needs and challenges (rather than your offering) - you will penetrate the decision maker's consciousness. This is how you get name recognition. It's how you turn your company and you from an unknown into something familiar. It's about building relationships - and not just a quick sale.

When you ultimately connect, your professionalism and persistence will stand out in their minds. You have a good chance of getting at least 30 minutes of their time. And that's how you get your foot-in-the-door.