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Signing a contract with a bulk buyer can have a significant impact on your business. However, large purchasing organizations like Fortune 1000s tend to do things differently than smaller companies, which are more flexible in approaching new partnerships.

According to DemandGen67% of B2B buyers rely more on digital content for research and purchase decisions than they did a year ago. So if you want to achieve real new business results and hold your own in front of large corporations, it requires a strong online presence that takes into account the key concerns and qualifications these companies look for when considering new suppliers.

What Fortune 1000 Company Buyers Care For

Large corporate procurement teams have specific systems and selection criteria in place to carefully select the companies they do business with. Large business buyers can take an exceptionally long time to assemble their shortlist. They first clearly define their specific needs for a product or service and only look for a provider when they obviously know exactly what they want. This process for the selection of new suppliers by large companies is very thorough and time consuming.

Big companies don’t want to take any chances. They expect to work with suppliers who don’t miss deadlines, quality goals, or create other unwanted surprises. Your supply chains can be complex, and as they become more integrated and competitive, supply chain disruptions can result in massive costs and even affect shareholder value. Because of this, buyers identify delivery performance as one of the most important factors when choosing a new supplier. A consistent on-time track record can set a supplier apart in an industry driven by KPIs and SLAs.

Continue reading: The 3 people who influence the B2B buying process

Use your website to get on the shortlists

Because of the initial decision-making process, great buyers will only consider partnering with you if they understand exactly what you are bringing to the table and how it differs from what your competitors can offer.

Providing the right level of detail and content marketing on your website is key to getting on those coveted shortlists. Your website is the foundation of all of your endeavors. To communicate your skills as a trustworthy quality supplier, your website should include the following information:

• Downloadable CAD and BIM files – Offer CAD and BIM By drawing drawings online, engineers and designers can access the information they need in exactly the format they need. These CAD drawings can be inserted into other major CAD software programs and emailed or downloaded to anyone who needs them.
  
• What is it about you – Your business profile should tell buyers who you are, what you do, why you are a better choice, and how to improve your customers’ business and bottom line.
• Where are you – Are you regional, national or international? Which regions do you serve? How many locations do you deliver from? Do you offer on-site support?
• Which industries do you serve? – Which industries can benefit most from your core competencies? How have you successfully diversified into other markets?
• What you are doing – If you are an inventory or configurable product supplier, buyers want detailed product specifications. If you are a custom manufacturer, provide extensive information on features, machine lists, and sample project pages. Organize your product data in a dynamic online product catalog.
• How well you are doing – Some large buyers will write you off automatically if you don’t disclose your annual sales. So make sure this information is available to them.
• What you use – Provide a list of manufacturing equipment so buyers know what equipment you are using to meet their needs.
• What you can – What are the capacities of your machines? How does your storage system deliver products? Providing accurate information is critical.
• How qualified you are – The provision of certification and compliance information is also very important. Most large buyers insist that their suppliers have a certain level of certification and implement a thorough QC process.
• Who are you – Who are behind your company and what can they offer big buyers? Make this information clear at every step of the supplier identification and purchasing process. Provide a simple list of contact information so that potential customers can easily reach you.

Create industry-oriented content

Large company buyers evaluate you on potential risks and benefits and know very well that a supplier understands their industry. Industry-focused content with valuable information and high-quality photos of the markets you serve will help you stand out from the competition.

See how Schroeder Industries, an industrial distributor, clearly displays all of the industries it serves on its website for buyers to immerse themselves in.

Learn more: Digital marketing ideas for distributors

Service and industry-specific pages on your website can also help attract large business buyers who search for your services on search engine results pages like Google. When searching for industrial services or products, they use long-tail keywords such as “precision CNC machining services” or industry-related terms such as “aerospace precision machining”. Make sure the content of your industry-focused web pages provides answers and solutions to common problems your buyers face, and includes relevant keywords that your buyers are looking for.

Get the Complete Guide: “Position Your Digital Marketing Efforts to Win 1000 Businesses”

Start doing new business today

Polls have shown that 73% of B2B buyers look to a supplier’s website when deciding whether to submit RFIs. As large business buyers search for industry partners online and on Thomasnet.com, investing in digital marketing and moving away from outdated tactics like print ads is more important than ever.

Adding your company to the Thomas network is one of the most important first steps to find your industrial company online. In fact, every second a buyer rates a supplier on Thomasnet.com.

Do you want to get more business by listing your company in front of the most qualified industry buyers?

“We set a record for quotations in the first quarter, increasing them 197% year over year. The average quotation value has increased,” said Ken Carlton, VP Corrugated Metals. “We got orders the same day. The sales team can’t believe how many great opportunities there are now. Being in the Thomas program has changed the way I market my business.”

Contact the industrial marketing experts at Thomas today to discuss industrial marketing strategies that can help you increase your brand awareness with high-profile buyers. We have been connecting B2B buyers and suppliers for more than 122 years.