CloserQ Readers, last week I attended a seminar by Stephen Bristriz on his book, ‘Selling to the C-Suite’. The seminar was a great reminder on strategies and tactics for working with C-Level executives. Below are the high-lights from my notes:
1. Executives get involved early in the decision process for major purchases to set the project's strategy – and get involved late to monitor the implementation and measure the results, but typically delegate the middle (set the buying criteria)
Example: Just last week I was at a Hospital where the CIO was involved early in process to set the buying criteria, including protecting one of his current partners, but he did not show up for the vendor demos, and we know that he will be involved in the final decision
2. The relevant executive is the one who has the most to lose or gain with your solution (personal wins)
Example: We are working with a recently hired SVP and there is no doubt he has the most to gain or lose with a successful project
3. Understand the Informal Power
Example: At a client, the CIO and VP of Marketing are on the same level of the org chart, however the CIO has been with the organization 25 years and understand the politics, processes, and complexities of their multi-billion dollar organization.
4. C-Level executives look outside for unbiased information and industry updates (trusted advisor)
Example: The CIO at a new client understood that his internal team was biased towards an internal build so he reached out to external resources for his industry info.
5. Executives don’t buy when they understand your solution; they buy when they know that you understand how your solution will solve their problem. (Stephen Coveys Habit 5, 'Seek First to Understand then to be Understood')
Example: :Last month in a meeting the CFO, asked me to repeat the details on his project before he would let me explain our proposal.
Good Selling!
Reader Feedback, please click the ‘comments’ below to give your feedback on my post 'Selling to the C-Suite'. by Shaun Priest aka CloserQ. Have fantastic day.
1. Executives get involved early in the decision process for major purchases to set the project's strategy – and get involved late to monitor the implementation and measure the results, but typically delegate the middle (set the buying criteria)
Example: Just last week I was at a Hospital where the CIO was involved early in process to set the buying criteria, including protecting one of his current partners, but he did not show up for the vendor demos, and we know that he will be involved in the final decision
2. The relevant executive is the one who has the most to lose or gain with your solution (personal wins)
Example: We are working with a recently hired SVP and there is no doubt he has the most to gain or lose with a successful project
3. Understand the Informal Power
Example: At a client, the CIO and VP of Marketing are on the same level of the org chart, however the CIO has been with the organization 25 years and understand the politics, processes, and complexities of their multi-billion dollar organization.
4. C-Level executives look outside for unbiased information and industry updates (trusted advisor)
Example: The CIO at a new client understood that his internal team was biased towards an internal build so he reached out to external resources for his industry info.
5. Executives don’t buy when they understand your solution; they buy when they know that you understand how your solution will solve their problem. (Stephen Coveys Habit 5, 'Seek First to Understand then to be Understood')
Example: :Last month in a meeting the CFO, asked me to repeat the details on his project before he would let me explain our proposal.
Good Selling!
Reader Feedback, please click the ‘comments’ below to give your feedback on my post 'Selling to the C-Suite'. by Shaun Priest aka CloserQ. Have fantastic day.
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