By Tammy Cohen, GWBC Forum Chair and Founder & Chief Visionary Officer for InfoMart

Certification gets you in the room; business development gets you in the conversation.

Your certification is the entry point into the supplier diversity ecosystem, but it is only the first step in building a business development and sales strategy. The real opportunity comes from what you do after you are certified: preparing your materials, researching the right corporations, engaging in the right events, communicating your value, and following up with intention. Certification proves you qualify; business development is what turns that qualification into meaningful opportunities and, ultimately, contracts.

Meet & Greets and Corporate Choice Connections 1-on-1 Meetings

A few ways to connect with corporate members, build relationships, and create business development opportunities include Meet & Greet’s and Corporate Choice Connections 1-1 Meetings, also referred to as Matchmakers.

The Industry Meet & Greet is a high-volume, organized networking opportunity where WBEs and small-business attendees can choose corporate members to meet, introduce their companies, and begin conversations that may lead to future follow-up.

Corporate Choice Connections 1-1 Meetings are pre-scheduled, invitation-only meetings between Corporate Members and WBENC-Certified suppliers. These meetings are based on the sourcing needs of corporate members and are designed to create more targeted one-on-one business conversations.

Together, these programs provide different paths for WBEs to engage, be seen, and begin building meaningful corporate relationships.   Both GWBC and WBENC National holds these events. 

Your Opportunity Toolkit

Make sure you are ready to be seen and leave a first-in-class impression. Remember you are not only competing against other WBEs, but all your competitors, public and private, big and small.  Your certification has provided you an opportunity to meet face to face, make the best of it and be ready. 

1. Capability Statement

A Google search and an AI prompt can easily help you create a capability statement. Remember, a capability statement is marketing collateral; however, it is very specific in what needs to be included on the first page. Many first-timers either forget the NAICS codes or place them at the bottom of the page. Be strategic when preparing your capability statement. Make sure to include your DUNS number, NAICS codes, certification number, and service categories.

2. Updated Website with WBENC Certification Logo

Don’t forget to place the official WBENC certification logo on your website and optimize your site so it appears in web searches for diverse or certified suppliers.  

3. Business Cards — Printed and Electronic

Over the past decade, there has been a slow move toward electronic business cards. Be ready for the person who still wants a paper card.

4. Product Samples or Swag, If Appropriate

If you are in retail, you may want to bring samples to leave behind or give out. Some suppliers also bring swag with their company information to share with corporates and WBEs.

5. Clear Elevator Pitch

Make sure you are ready with a 30-second elevator pitch. When someone asks, “What is it you do?” you do not want to stammer, go too long, or worry about finding the exact message. Be ready.

6. Prepared 2–3 Minute Presentation Pitch

When you are in a Meet & Greet or a Corporate Choice Connections one-on-one meeting (formerly known as Matchmakers), you need to be prepared to pitch your business concisely and expeditiously. Most often, you will have two to five minutes to present, while still leaving time for questions. You may not know your time frame until you arrive.

7. Follow-Up Email Template Ready to Customize

A rookie mistake is waiting until you get home to toil over your follow-up email, taking a week to write it and send it out. Be ready with a template prepared in advance and ready to customize. You will be tired after the show, and the last thing you will want to do is draft your follow-up from scratch.

Certification gets you in the ecosystem. Preparation, participation, and follow-up turn it into an opportunity.

Targeting the right Opportunities

Before you walk into a Meet & Greet, matchmaker, networking event, or corporate meeting, know who you want to meet and why. Review the list of participating corporations in advance and identify your top-priority targets. Research each corporation so you understand what they do, where your product or service may fit, and how to tailor your message to their business. The more you know before the opportunity, the more strategic and relevant you sound when you are in the room.

• Review the list of participating corporations in advance
• Identify your top-priority targets
• Research what each corporation does
• Look for where your product or service may fit
• Know their industry, size, locations, subsidiaries, and recent news
• Prepare a company-specific pitch angle
• Review their supplier diversity webpage before your meeting
• Complete any requested pre-work or registration steps
• Register in their supplier portal, if available
• Upload your capability statement to their supplier portal when appropriate

Door to Table

Before the Clock Starts

Before you enter the room, be ready to engage and energize.   Attendees will usually line up outside before the session begins, and once the doors open, everyone enters at the same time. The room fills quickly, and tables will be marked with corporate names. At the National Conference, you do not have to register separately for the Industry Meet & Greet. You never know if you need to register separately for Meet & Greets, so make sure you verify with the organizer.

 Be ready to move with purpose as soon as you enter.

Tables may be arranged alphabetically, grouped by industry, or set up with no obvious pattern at all. If a room map is published in advance, study it before you arrive. Know your target corporations before entering the room, and look for your priority tables first.

Once you have a seat at the table, It is time to network and get to know the table.  This is networking time, not sales time.

Stay in ready mode. You are warming up, not winding down.

When the Clock Starts

Once the Meet & Greet round officially begins, the corporate representative will usually lead the table. They generally start by introducing themselves and their role. 

This is the time to listen carefully and capture instructions. The corporation may tell you to register in their supplier portal, wait for RFP notifications, email your capability statement, contact a specific person or department, or follow up within a certain time frame. Whatever they tell you, write it down exactly.

Corporates may share contact information in several ways. Occasionally, they may provide a business card, but more often they have a printed contact sheet for you to copy or photograph.

Get Ready to Pitch

Ready, Set, Go

Be prepared before it is your turn to speak. Know exactly what you plan to say, practice it out loud, and time yourself so you understand how long your pitch really takes. Refine unnecessary words and make every sentence count. This is precision communication, not casual conversation. Timing is everything in a Meet & Greet. You may have 90 seconds, three minutes, or five minutes, and you may not know the exact time limit until the corporate begins the round. Do not ramble, do not go over time, and do not assume that smiles and nods mean “keep talking.” Respecting time shows professionalism.

The corporate will signal when and where to start.  Generally it is the person sitting next to them and go around the table.  You may go first, last, or somewhere in the middle, so be ready at all times.

Get Your Pitch On

When the corporate gives the signal to begin, be ready to move immediately into your pitch. This is not the time to shuffle papers or search for your materials. Offer your capability statement as you begin by asking, “Would you like a copy?” and hand it across the table as you ask. Have your business card placed on top or easily attached so your contact information is immediately available. Don’t take it personally if the corporate asks you to email them your capstat.  

Use Visuals Wisely

Use your capability statement as your outline to prompt you as you pitch to the corporate.  Often this allows the corporate to follow along with you.  A clear one-sheet can work well, and a short deck is good, but you must be very proficient so that you don’t lose time.   can also be effective if you are practiced and can move through it quickly.If you have product samples, offer them after your pitch so the corporate listens to your message before focusing on the item in their hand.

Do not assume your company name explains your business.

Make What You Do Easy to Understand

Explain your business clearly Avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical language that may not be familiar to someone outside your field. Remember, the person at the table may not be your buyer; they may be a connector who needs to understand your company well enough to route you internally.

The Pitch

Start by clearly introducing yourself, your company, and what you do. Give your industry or category first, then explain your core offering. Share your high-level products or services and add a brief company snapshot, such as years in business, number of employees, notable clients, awards, or

other credibility points. Keep this part concise. You are establishing who you are, what your company After you explain what you do, share your company snapshot. This can include how long you have been in business, number of employees, geographic reach, notable clients, industries served, awards, certifications, or other credibility points. Choose the details that matter most and support your ability to deliver. This is not the time for your full company history. It is a quick credibility statement that helps the corporate understand your experience and readiness.

Next, focus on your capabilities and differentiators. Your capabilities explain what you can deliver. Your differentiators explain why they should remember you. Be specific and avoid generic claims like “great customer service” or “high quality.” Instead, explain what makes you meaningfully different. For example, do you have unique technology, specialized industry experience, national coverage, fast turnaround, customized solutions, operational expertise, or a proven track record with large clients? Your differentiator should help the corporate understand why you are not just another company in your category.

End with an ask. Do not finish your pitch without asking for direction. You might ask, “What is the best way to be ready to do business with your company?” or “What would you recommend as the next step?” You can also ask which department, category, or process would be the best fit for your product or service. After you ask, stop talking and listen carefully. The answer may be the most important part of the entire conversation, so write down exactly what they say.

Follow Up

Your follow-up should be short, purposeful, and easy to act on. Include the event name and date so the corporate can quickly remember where they met you.Remind them who you are, what your company does.  Most importantly, reference the instructions they gave you during the meeting. If they told you to register in the portal, send a capability statement, use a specific subject line, wait until a certain date, or contact a certain person, make sure your follow-up reflects that direction.

Your follow-up should also be easy to forward internally. Remember, the person you met may not be your buyer. They may be the connector who needs to route your information to the right department, category manager, sourcing contact, or business unit. Keep the email clear and concise so they do not have to rewrite your message or figure out where you fit.

Help Them Route You

Use the category, department, or language the corporate gave you during the meeting. If they said your services fall under Professional Services, HR, Operations, IT, Facilities, or another category, include that in your follow-up. If they mentioned a specific person or department, reference it. If they made a comment about where your company may fit, remind them of that conversation.

This is where your notes become valuable. It shows that you listened, followed their direction, and are making it easy for them to send your information to the right place.

Follow-Up Checklist

Before sending your follow-up, make sure you have:

• followed the corporate’s instructions exactly.
• Reference the event name and date,
• keep the email short, and
• include your capability statement or the specific attachment they requested.
• Make sure your message is easy to forward and
• clearly explains where your company may fit.

If you can add value with a relevant update, resource, or clarification, include it — but do not overload the email.

At minimum, your follow-up should include your capability statement, a clear reminder of who you are, the relevant capabilities you discussed, and the next step or instruction the corporate provided.

Survival Checklist

Before, during, and after the event, focus on the basics that make you look prepared and professional.

• Look professional,
• do your homework,
• Listen carefully, and take good notes.
• Capture instructions,
• get the right contact information, and
• Prepare a specific pitch for the corporations you want to meet.
• Most importantly, follow up exactly as instructed.

The opportunity does not end at the table — it continues through how well you listen, document, and follow through.

Conclusion

Certification is an important first step, but it is not the finish line. It gives you access to the supplier diversity ecosystem, but business development is what turns that access into opportunity. The companies that see results are the ones that prepare before they show up, research the right targets, understand where they fit, communicate clearly, listen carefully, and follow up with purpose.

Whether you are attending an Industry Meet & Greet, a WBE Hosted Meet & Greet, a Corporate Choice Connections one-on-one meeting, a networking event, or a corporate webinar, the same principles apply. You need to look professional, have your materials ready, know your pitch, understand the corporation, capture instructions, and make it easy for the person you meet to route you to the right place.

The opportunity does not begin when you sit at the table, and it does not end when the conversation is over. It begins with your preparation and continues through your follow-up. Every touchpoint matters: your website, LinkedIn profile, capability statement, elevator pitch, meeting presence, notes, and follow-up email all work together to tell the story of your company.

The goal is not to talk the longest, hand out the most materials, or meet every corporation in the room. The goal is to be clear, relevant, memorable, and easy to move forward. When you show up prepared and use the opportunity well, you give yourself the best chance to turn a few minutes of access into meaningful business development.