6 Tips for connecting with C-Level Executives

Hearing every pitch or sales pitch is not a problem for businesses nowadays because of the competitive landscape. They want to know what their competitors are doing so they can provide a unique or better product.

If you are looking to make heads turn and get your company back on its feet as soon as possible, selling to a CEO, CFO and others big fish can be the way to go. Businesses of smaller size may not be able to afford new solutions for a while, but when they get their hands at the BIG fish- they transform their brand.

A good way for sellers to stand apart from other reps is to become experts in understanding the mindset & motivations of CXOs. CXOs are unique and so you must be able to provide the right message at the right time that resonates with them.

If you’re having trouble connecting with the decision-makers in your company, don’t worry. In this section and the next few sections I will go over some of the best ways to do that. You can come out on top of these bigger deals without too much difficulty.

1.Use intelligence to warm up first-time interactions

When you find a few top-tier enterprise clients, it's often times easy to hit your goals because that's where the majority of sales come from.

That said, for reps used to chasing small and mid-size companies, advancing to the C-suite Contact requires a different approach. Prospecting C-level executives is a research-intensive process. In fact, traditional cold outreach strategies don’t typically work on the level you will encounter in larger companies.This group tend to appreciate solutions suggested by a person you trust, but information gathering is crucial when it comes to providing relevant solutions.

According to LinkedIn, only 1 out of every 5 buyers want to speak with a salesperson if they don’t share any insights about their company. This means that as a salesperson you need to put in the extra effort & social engagement when reaching out to your prospects. Another 67% of respondents will reject any cold outreach attempts on their behalf.

It also revealed that 92% of buyers said they would engage with another seller if they were considered a thought leader in the field.

Social selling is becoming more common in B2B sales. Learn how you can use social media to your advantage with these six guidelines!

2. Get friendly with the gatekeeper & other stakeholders

You're probably trying to get the CEO on the phone, but if they're not available, you'll likely have to speak with a front office or customer services representative. That's because these executives don't answer phones themselves anymore. Instead, they ask their employees to do so, which is an effective way of getting calls from those who want legitimate business done.

It is always a good idea to approach the gatekeeper as an ally and not an obstacle. They can provide important input for your launch, or help you make inroads into new markets.

Asking someone for a favour is difficult, and in many cases, people will feel like you're coming from a place of disrespect, so it's important to show some respect yourself. Always explain your reason for reaching out and why their boss matters - this is the best way to make a connection with them.

You’ll also want to take some time to meet with the decision makers who are involved in the buying process. Your managers, directors and customer-facing teams are more invested in specific features and benefits. These people will be using your solution each day so it's important you connect with them well. Your goal is to help buyers make sense of the information they've gathered, understand evaluation criteria and build consensus around a solution. To do this, you share helpful insights and research solutions that meet those needs.

Go to Gartner, if you want to see a group of graphic illustrations and information about what supports buyers in the process.

3. Build a narrative around the C-suite perspective

It looks like you’ve done your research and identified potential allies.

But before you make contact with these buyers, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Sean points out that sellers need to get the story straight and gain a deep understanding of their buyer before contacting them. Your product may be of interest to a CXO, but it will only do so if it is focused on the right pain points and addresses the CXO's needs.

However, executives have to contend with the fact that other sales teams are continually being pursued. They might end up liking one or two of the enterprising prospects, but they won't likely find anyone to fully satisfy them because their 'C-level' has final say over everything.

4. Position yourself as a trusted resource

You might know your stuff inside and out, but no one else is sure. If a prospect expects to deal with a charismatic sales rep, they're likely to be disappointed as these people are also more likely to make inflated promises or show less competence. It's best to focus on providing facts, data, & clear insights that help show your buyer how you can help them solve. You should build trust with your executives by using data to demonstrate past success, sticking to your commitments, & admitting it when you don’t know something.

You'll need to take time to think about your past experience, but if you focus on being reliable, helpful and empathetic, you should be okay. Your online reputation will help protect you from future rejection.

Executives are looking for ways to stay competitive. Find the gaps in the industry they might not know about by researching their market, then present your findings. In business, decisions sometimes can be tricky and the introduction of a new emerging threat can help shake things up and increase your competitive edge.

By discovering and creating a sense of urgency around your strategy, you emphasize the goal of being among the best while also highlighting what others are doing. The Challenger methodology illustrated here is an inventive way to engage this type of group.

5. Stay in control, even if execs try to dominate

When you sell to the C-suite, your ability to successfully pitch ideas and initiatives is much more impactful if you can focus on topics that are relevant to the circle of decision makers. If needed, an over-prepared approach can help break conversations" down into manageable pieces.Others may not want to use discovery questions because they don't work that well at the executive level.

A recent study of prospect answers found that the more you ask them questions, the shorter their responses will become.

After using discovery questions to help you with your buying process, you'll be able to create them on your own, saving time & money while providing a more personalized experience.

C-level decision-makers want you to tell them what they need to know.

Where is the final destination?

What will you be hitting along the way?

What are some key points you may want to hit?

Which ones are optional?

Also, you may want to prepare for a few “choose your own adventure” scenarios.

Ready to change the course of the conversation? If so, it would be helpful if you have a few different routes memorized that can bring it back on track.

6. Call during off-peak hours

You can't reach prospects all of the time in an efficient and effective manner. You have to try different times, places and channels to see what works best. In a recent blog on C-Level sales, we mentioned the importance of diversifying communication channels to see what works best.

Making sure that you have a clear, customized, and compelling script before leaving a voicemail is important. Before dialing these calls, it can be helpful to call prospects by different times on different days in order to get the best response from them. Having a solid strategy for when to reach out and when to stay away can help you be more successful in your conversations. But, ultimately, the key here is being persistent with the contact you’re eager to make.

If you want to get the best response rate, it is advisable to call on nights and weekends because you are more likely to reach someone.

Final Thoughts

When you are speaking with the CEO or C-Suite at a company, it's all about the big picture. You must focus on providing out of the box ideas; and alerting prospects to new opportunities, and potential threats before they materialize.

A few more things to keep in mind:

Don’t waste their time - this doesn't do you any favors as it sends the message that you're not a professional and don't actually care about your meeting. Someone reaching out with this message can expect to get ignored and seen as less of a priority.

If you are looking to find potential connections on LinkedIn, you should save your messages for a time when the individual is likely to be online. It’s best practice to follow up on social media channels and messaging groups in order to increase your outreach.

Demonstrate your competence by providing helpful advice based on the interests of your buyer. While the whole “rep as trusted advisor” is on the brink of becoming a cliche, staying focused on that role can help you stay away from being too helpful for your buyer's own benefit.

In the end, sales is about solving problems for clients regardless of who they are. That's why an effective sales team is one that has a laser focus on their clients, even if that means solving pain points or objectives.