Sales are a crucial part of any business, providing the company’s success. And it is especially challenging to sell a product or service to C-level representatives. C-suite is a term used to the highest corporate level – senior executives. The “C” here stands for “Chief” like in Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
These are decision-makers of a company who have a clear vision of the values and goals of their organization. They are hard to reach and to sell to as they are overloaded with calls, voicemails, and not very fresh proposals.
But if you manage to reach them and to make your point and value clear, they are very fast to decide on a purchase. The secret is to do every step right, and here is a guide on how to do it.
Do Financial Research
It is essential to be not only a seller but an advisor. You need to concentrate on how you can solve one problem and bring benefit to a company. Make it a clear vision of the overall profit, as C-suite works not on mid-level solutions.
How can you do financial research on a company? It is quite simple, as there are documents that are available publicly as financial statements. Here they are:
- Income Statement
- Balance Sheet
- Cash Flow Statement.
These statements show the profits of the company, the cash flow, and the balance. You do not need to be a Ph.D. in the financial field to understand these numbers.
It gives you an understanding of some issues in the company, their ability to buy a product, and what kind of a deal you can offer them. It also helps to become an advisor based on the facts and numbers they are making. Try to make your research as extensive as possible, if you have to, buy a custom essay, run surveys, use existing studies, etc. Find all the information you can because C-suite is numbers and facts-driven.
They are all about being clear and precise about what you are offering and how can it solve their problems.
Prepare Your Standpoints Beforehand
College doesn’t teach us how to work with C-suite. Of course, it may not be as tough as Quantum Mechanics, but it requires precision.
Before you try to reach executives, you’ll need to work on your strategy and how you are going to approach them. The thing is, as soon as you grab their attention, they will want to get all the details fast.
First of all, you must be clear about what you are offering. What are the values your service or product can bring to the buyer? Also, be precise in what makes your proposal unique. C-level executives are bombarded by advertising and cold calls all the time, and they are craving fresh ideas.
Do the research on the company and the market of a specific region. Do not include irrelevant parts of the world to your studying process. What works in the USA may not work in Europe, and vice versa. Make sure you have numbers that correlate with the company’s interest and target market. For instance, if they are marketing for students, do not bother preparing information on other target groups like senior citizens.
Be Ready to Make Many Calls
As soon as you are ready with your proposal and research, it is time to reach out and try to get a meeting. This can be a difficult task and it will require time.
One of the best solutions is to look for a warm introduction. It means that you are introduced to C-level executives by the mutual acquaintance. If you have an opportunity like this, go for it! It dramatically increases the chances of getting a response.
One of the ways to find out whether there are any connections between you and the CEO of a company you want to work with is LinkedIn.
You’ll need to utilize different sources of communication. Sending one email is certainly not going to be enough. Of course, there is no need to spam an executive right away, but different people prefer various means of communication. Some answer emails faster, while others prefer calls or even social media messengers. Try to reach out via a variety of methods to find the most convenient way of communication with that particular person.
Be clear about your message. Executives get bored with typical sales messages that are consistently sent every day. And C-suite gets much more of them, so do not try to waste time with vague statements and sentences that say nothing. If you are leaving a voicemail, keep it brief and no longer than 30 seconds. Include only crucial information, like who you are, the value your company can provide and the information on how to get back to you.
Final Words
C-level executives are always looking for fresh solutions. They are decision-driven are continuously pressed for time. It is essential to make communication with them effective and fact-based. Be clear in what you offer and how it can solve the company’s issues.
Do coherent research and do not waste time on vague statements. Try to become an advisor rather than a seller, and you’ll increase your chances of sealing the deal.
For more great career & business tips, check out the other blogs on Career Geek.
