“I need help getting to the CEO at one of my prospects. What would you do?” Jack Welch
JW, a great prospecting question. My response will be come in two parts quality (strategy) and quantity (brute force).
Quality / Strategy: As usual, I will start with some qualifying questions: How big is the company, Fortune 500 (Oracle, General Motors, 3M) or a 1 person consulting firm? Are they currently a client? Have you ever spoken or met with the CEO? Does your solution provide value for the CEO? Does the dollar amount warrant the time and attention of the CEO? You will need to be selling a high value / high dollar / change the market solution to get Steve Balmer’s time at Microsoft. Once you have answered the above the questions and determine you truly need to get to the CEO, I would set up an internal strategy call with your sales manager and potentially other associates. The associates would be based on their knowledge for the account and your solutions. During the strategy meeting, I would review what is your message for the CEO, how your solutions will help him/her better run her business, why the CEO needs to take your meeting or call, who at your company knows the CEO, and your call to action (meeting, approval, call a references, attend a webinar, etc.). If no one at your company knows the CEO, do your clients, business partners know the CEO, or can your coach get you an introduction. Next is to determine the timeline (when do you have to reach) and the how (calls, letters, business partner, etc.) and often your strategy will include multiple options. Lastly, what is your strategy if the CEO is truly insulated and you can’t get to him or her, what are you going to do to earn their business?
Quantity / Brute Force: My quantity questions: What have you been doing to reach the CEO, how many calls, letters, e-mails, etc.? If you have made one call and can’t reach the CEO, you are not having problems getting to the CEO, you are having a problem making the calls. I was talking to a financial planner the other day and he was joking that the luckiest sales guy in his office was the guy who made the most cold calls. My definition of luck is where hard work meets opportunity. You need to make your own luck on getting the CEO by calling. Call in the morning before 7:30am, call in the evening after 6:30pm, call at lunch time, call during the day, if you keep calling, you will get lucky and reach the CEO. In addition to the calls, send a call to action e-mail, send a letter, send a fedex, make an in person cold call, or even send NY Times gift basket. And when you reach the CEO be prepared to make your pitch at his level not yours.
A quick story, in 1999 during the dot.com boom, I cold called the CEO of Interwoven (IWOV trading at $150 per share at the time and now is $15 per share), who was a quasi competitor. I did the work of calling but I was not prepared. I figured it would take me 10 to 20 calls to reach the CEO and by then I would have a plan. The CEO, Martin Braun at the time, took my call and after babbling for 5 minutes, he simple asked, “Why are you calling? Are you selling me something? Do you want to partner? Do you want to buy my solution?” Good questions and I had no idea, so we hung up. After the call, I came up with some great ideas but I could not get through again. I would bet money, Martin would never remember me, but I learned a lot from that short call with a CEO. That is why you need both quality and quantity, and I am now better prepared when I make calls.
Good Calling and getting to the CEO. Let us know when you get to the CEO! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give ‘JW’ additional information on 'Cold Calling’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun Priest aka CloserQ.
JW, a great prospecting question. My response will be come in two parts quality (strategy) and quantity (brute force).
Quality / Strategy: As usual, I will start with some qualifying questions: How big is the company, Fortune 500 (Oracle, General Motors, 3M) or a 1 person consulting firm? Are they currently a client? Have you ever spoken or met with the CEO? Does your solution provide value for the CEO? Does the dollar amount warrant the time and attention of the CEO? You will need to be selling a high value / high dollar / change the market solution to get Steve Balmer’s time at Microsoft. Once you have answered the above the questions and determine you truly need to get to the CEO, I would set up an internal strategy call with your sales manager and potentially other associates. The associates would be based on their knowledge for the account and your solutions. During the strategy meeting, I would review what is your message for the CEO, how your solutions will help him/her better run her business, why the CEO needs to take your meeting or call, who at your company knows the CEO, and your call to action (meeting, approval, call a references, attend a webinar, etc.). If no one at your company knows the CEO, do your clients, business partners know the CEO, or can your coach get you an introduction. Next is to determine the timeline (when do you have to reach) and the how (calls, letters, business partner, etc.) and often your strategy will include multiple options. Lastly, what is your strategy if the CEO is truly insulated and you can’t get to him or her, what are you going to do to earn their business?
Quantity / Brute Force: My quantity questions: What have you been doing to reach the CEO, how many calls, letters, e-mails, etc.? If you have made one call and can’t reach the CEO, you are not having problems getting to the CEO, you are having a problem making the calls. I was talking to a financial planner the other day and he was joking that the luckiest sales guy in his office was the guy who made the most cold calls. My definition of luck is where hard work meets opportunity. You need to make your own luck on getting the CEO by calling. Call in the morning before 7:30am, call in the evening after 6:30pm, call at lunch time, call during the day, if you keep calling, you will get lucky and reach the CEO. In addition to the calls, send a call to action e-mail, send a letter, send a fedex, make an in person cold call, or even send NY Times gift basket. And when you reach the CEO be prepared to make your pitch at his level not yours.
A quick story, in 1999 during the dot.com boom, I cold called the CEO of Interwoven (IWOV trading at $150 per share at the time and now is $15 per share), who was a quasi competitor. I did the work of calling but I was not prepared. I figured it would take me 10 to 20 calls to reach the CEO and by then I would have a plan. The CEO, Martin Braun at the time, took my call and after babbling for 5 minutes, he simple asked, “Why are you calling? Are you selling me something? Do you want to partner? Do you want to buy my solution?” Good questions and I had no idea, so we hung up. After the call, I came up with some great ideas but I could not get through again. I would bet money, Martin would never remember me, but I learned a lot from that short call with a CEO. That is why you need both quality and quantity, and I am now better prepared when I make calls.
Good Calling and getting to the CEO. Let us know when you get to the CEO! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give ‘JW’ additional information on 'Cold Calling’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun Priest aka CloserQ.
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