Change Your Sales Approach with Executive Buyers

a pawn on a chess board casts the shadow of a stallion

If you want sell to the “big boys and girls,” you need to change your sales approach with executive buyers. Targeted executive sales training can help you adjust the way you sell so that you are effective at higher level sales.

What you will learn in most such training programs is that you need first to understand the executive’s role and what will grab his or her attention. No longer a simple pawn on the chessboard; you need to show that you have the business savvy, the confidence, the big picture view and the right solution to cast the shadow of a stallion.

In general, executives focus on strategies and results, not tactics. To meet them where they are, you have to address the issues that matter most to them. They are responsible for overall business results. Make sure that your solution and approach can materially affect one of the following: productivity, costs, sales, employee engagement or customer loyalty.

Executives are busy, busy, busy. Respect their time by being fully prepared. Whether you are on the phone, connecting via email or face-to-face, get right to the point. What can you do for them? And why should they care?  What will the impact of your solution be on their bottom line? Save the details for their follow-on questions or for their subordinates who may ultimately influence the buying decision.

Show your confidence. Executives appreciate a straightforward approach and respect those who can speak directly. They want to see that you believe in your solution and can back it up. This includes articulating upfront any possible risk factors involved.

Be persistent in your pursuit of an executive-level meeting. Make sure your “hook” is one that will appeal at the executive level and then try to reach your buyer through a variety of means…referral (by far the most effective), phone, or email. You don’t want to be a pest but if you truly believe that you can provide needed support, you should not give up before you have a chance to present your value.


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