How to Sell to C-Suite Executives

Getting major deals done often requires dealing with C-Suite Executives. Have you ever wondered why your superstar new hire salespeople have such a dismal record of selling to the C-Suite?

There are certain high performing sales stars who have no problem selling to the C-Suite. These are people who have a rare combination of intelligence, fortitude, charisma, talent and luck. If you are one of these rock stars, carry on. But if you are one of us mere mortals, read on and we shall explore the sales strategy behind C-Suite selling.

Not many CLEs want to spend much, if any, time with salespeople. A few years ago one of my very talented salespeople was able to secure a phone appointment with an SVP of Sales with a Fortune 1000 company. I joined her on the phone and at the beginning of the call this gentleman told me, “You know, I get two or three prospecting calls a day from people wanting to sell me something. I can guarantee you that I return no more than two of those calls per year. I want you to know that your rep, was so compelling with her messages to me that she represents one of those two calls I’ll return this year.” This CLE receives approximately 500-700 prospecting calls a year, and actually sees only one or two salespeople!

The odds are stacked against you as you - along with several hundred of your peers - attempt to garner attention from an increasingly guarded and fickle audience.

It certainly appears that getting the attention and obtaining an audience with a CLE is a daunting challenge. The odds are stacked against you as you - along with several hundred of your peers - attempt to garner attention from an increasingly guarded and fickle audience. As the pressure to grow revenue and sell consultative solutions increases, you can be certain that the managers and executives for whom you work will expect you to call higher in your client and prospect organisations. Therefore, the goal of this white paper is to help sellers and sales organisations increase their likelihood of success in gaining and optimising an audience with a CLE. The three critical questions this white paper will explore are:

• How do you identify when a Senior Executive would be most receptive to your request for time?
• What is the most effective route to obtain an audience with a C-Level executive?
• How do you execute a meeting with a CLE in order to increase your chances for success?

To find out more on these questions download our latest sales strategy white paper "Selling to the C-Suite" below.

Whitepaper: Selling to the C-Suite

Download our latest whitepaper: "Selling to the C-Suite".
This free whitepaper provides some great sales strategies to employ and some to avoid.
Download it here.