The Master Key to Getting an Executive Level Meeting

Most every salesperson wants access to executives who hold the purse strings and can make the decisions to buy.

Executive selling training experts suggest all sorts of ways to overcome the hurdles that block passage to the executive suite. Some will claim that you should step over the gate keepers. But is it worth the risk of alienating them on your rush to a high-level contact? And does it really help you in the end?

So what is the master key to getting the appointment?  A recent study claims that over 80% of the executives queried would grant access to a salesperson if recommended by someone on the inside. This confirms our referral selling research outcomes and highlights the importance of building relationships across functions and on multiple levels. And it includes relationships with the classic gatekeepers like executive assistants.

Further research showed that without an internal recommendation, you might get five minutes of an executive’s time and in that short time you had better prove your value. Be sure you have enough confidence and conviction in your product/service and your salesmanship before you risk turning off your lower level contacts.