A holistic and agile approach will ensure maximum ROI when reaching out to C-level execs, explains Chris Hoskin, chief marketing officer at Artesian Solutions
Over the years, C-level executives have become increasingly involved in the buying lifecycle, and smart businesses have recognised the implications of this shift on marketing processes. Getting access to busy senior executives and setting up a meeting – let alone successfully selling to them – is unlikely to be achieved with a chance phone call. As a result, B2B marketers must draw on one of their age-old skills of relationship building.
Here is a guide on how you can develop strong relationships with C-level executives that generate revenue.
1. Target the right executive
There has never been so much customer data available with tools that scour the web for information and deliver insight into both customers and prospects. As a first step, you should introduce platforms and technologies that notify you about activity that is contextually important, e.g if a particular organisation announces a merger or acquisition. This will arm you with relevant information to help establish a relationship with the C-suite at the most opportune moment.
2. Choose your approach
Before you make contact with senior executives, think about the best approach to gain access. The overt approach traditionally starts with a letter to the executive, which is then followed up with a call. By contrast, the referral approach relies on using people within the company, external consultants, business associates or friends. However with this approach, be sure to prep your contact on what to say when introducing you, and look for the initial meeting to be arranged either by phone or in person.
3. Engage the gatekeeper
If you don’t have a contact within the client organisation, then engaging with a ‘gatekeeper’ (e.g a personal assistant) can be one of the most effective approaches to gain access to the C-suite. If you are successful in obtaining the support of these gatekeepers, you will need to keep them in the loop with any future correspondence. They will appreciate the fact that you have been professional and respectful, and acknowledge the internal system. Avoid circumventing the gatekeeper unless you are supremely confident that you will be able to obtain a meeting with the executive. If you fail in your attempts and are then bumped back down to the assistant, the relationship is already one built on mistrust.
4. Draw on industry insight
Once you have made initial contact with customers or prospects, it is important to listen and understand where the opportunities exist. Take advantage of the vast amount of information available online to remain agile, engaged and transparent.
For example, if a director delivers a presentation about their vision for the company, this may then appear on the web. By examining this content carefully, you could find a wealth of information about the executive’s vision for the company and the challenges it faces. By drawing on this insight, you can become fluent in the customer’s industry, and effectively speak the language of the executive. This will not only imply a deep understanding of their business, but also help to demonstrate the value that you can deliver.
The process of filtering the web and social media to gather customer insight and transform it into actionable intelligence should be an ongoing task, so it’s vital that new technologies (and social media in particular) can be integrated into the sales strategy.
5. Capture and share insight
When a relationship has been established with the senior executive, you need to decide if a sales opportunity exists. If it does, ensure all available insight is documented and accessible to the person taking charge of the customer relationship. By ensuring easy access to this information, it means you can drive contextual conversations that address a customer’s specific agenda.
6. Continue the conversation
Once you have established a relationship with the C-suite, it is important to continue building rapport using the wealth of content available. If you have the appropriate technology, engines and taxonomy, you can ensure the web is mined for any contextually important activity. By adopting this kind of approach, sales-driven organisations can build strong relationships that will also help to increase revenue over time.
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