Tag Archives: C-level

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C-Suite Presentations

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The one thing you have to remember about the C-suite is that those who abide there are under pressure.  They must produce results,  hit a home run every time they come up to bat.  In order to produce results they must delegate responsibility,  delegate to those who have talent and can be trusted. They like people who meet deadlines.  People who don’t make major errors.

Therefore,  if you happen to meet a C-level executive,  you must appear both talented and trustworthy,  as he/she defines it.  In general,  you must demonstrate that you know your stuff.  Demonstrate that you are able to produce results.  To do anything less is to disappoint,  to waste the exec’s precious time.  One must make a very good impression.

If you’re lucky enough to be invited to make a sales presentation to a C-level executive,  whether he/she is alone or with a team,  take the time to do things right.  Arrive early.  If you are there to demonstrate a product,  do a few test runs at home and do one also at the office.  In advance of your appointment,  ask the  executive assistant if there is a room you can duck into to do one more dry run product demo.

If you will present your service and will use Power Point,  do several rehearsals.  Again,  ask the assistant for early access to the conference room in advance of the meeting, so that you can set up the equipment and make sure it works and make sure that you can run it smoothly.  You do not want any A/V glitches and arrive one hour early if A/V equipment will be used.

When you do start talking,  cut to the chase.  It is politic to ask the C-level what he/she would like to hear first.  Plan to go off-script,  so know your material very well.  Expect lots of questions.  Anticipate what those questions might be and role-play answers.

C-level execs have many plates in the air,  opportunities to identify and evaluate,  stubborn problems to resolve and fires to put out.  They are thinking about seeds to plant today that will bear fruit three years down the road.  Make your presentation about how your product or service can beat the competition,  how to hang on to current customers,  how to win new ones and how to increase net profit.  In your presentation,  do address the problems they will have achieving those objectives and how your product or service will help them reach the goal faster,  more easily,  less expensively.

Bruce Gabrielle,  teacher of Power Point and presentation techniques and author of  “Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business”,  says you should focus on painting a vision of a better future.  Once your exec is nodding at the your description of the vision—and ONLY after—should you address product or service details.  Cost will be less of a concern at this point,  he claims.

Gabrielle also notes that while most execs like Big Data and like the idea of making data-driven decisions,  they trust their gut and experience more than they trust numbers.  They like customer success stories. They gain confidence in you if their colleagues have used your product or service.  Have two or three  success stories that make you  shine ready to roll.  Introduce the stories first and then follow it up with any quantitative data that you have.

Be advised that your C-level exec will judge you by the quality of your presentation.  Consider it a test.  He/she will see whether you are authoritative and know your business;  will know how you handle pressure by your response to tough and unexpected questions being thrown at you;  will gauge whether you are trustworthy and credible.  In short,  your C-level will quickly figure out whether you are someone to do business with,  whether you are worthy of his/her time and money.  if you pass the test,  you will win his/her confidence and will be able to count on the exec’s full support.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Fishing At C- Level

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Gotta be a big game hunter like Teddy Roosevelt.  Gotta find high level decision makers who can green light projects and not string you along.  Gotta bait the hook and fish for C- level execs,  so you can close some deals and pay some bills.  Oh yeah!

OK,  so how to do it? Let’s start by looking at the size of your C-level’s  organization.  If your client sweet spot is companies with fewer than 100 people,  you are likely to find the CEO, CFO, Executive Director or Development Director at a Rotary Club or Chamber of Commerce event.  If you’re fishing in organizations with 100 – 1000 + employees,  you may also find C-levels at Rotary and Chamber meetings,  but you’ll have more luck at university sponsored business forums or prestigious networking association events.

In general, when looking to meet C-levels in larger organizations,  it is wise to attend marquis events:  special speaker programs,  awards luncheons and industry specific programs.  C-levels rarely attend holiday parties or networking breakfasts (except for those sponsored by their prestigious networking group and those are usually private).

What if you need contact names and titles? Sometimes,  you can find company leaders on the website.  Other times,  you can call the main number and ask to be transferred to the head of a certain department.  You can also try to meet someone from the organization at a conference or  networking event and chat them up.  Such encounters may or may not pay off.  Employees may fear pissing off a C-level by revealing the name.

You can also use  ZoomInfo, which is a resource discussed in The ROI on 2.0 posting of December 8, 2009.   For a fee,  ZoomInfo will allow you to basically access a company organization chart and find out who leads which business unit.

Once you get specific names and titles,  then internet search,  read the ZoomInfo profile,  LinkedIn profile and anything else you can locate to determine where you might find those people and what their hot buttons could be.  Where might they go to meet peers and network or stay current on industry and business issues?

When you attend programs where targeted C-levels might be found,  skillfully devise the set-up.  Arrive early.  At the check-in desk,  scan name tags to learn who will be in the house.  If you see a name tag that’s on your wish list,  prepare an ice breaker.

I’ve found that comments about the speakers and program focus are excellent conversation openers.  Also, take notes at the program.  This will allow you to 1).  pose an intelligent question during Q & A,  which is wonderful for visibility as it encourages conversation with others,  including the speaker;  and 2).  can segue into a conversation with your C-level at the break.  Oh, and try to sit with this person at lunch.  However,  I caution you to not be too obvious.  Do not appear to stalk.

Remember that your C-level is also there to network and has an agenda.  If you are lucky enough to sit at the right lunch table,  relax and join the conversation.  Everyone will introduce themselves and there will be some mild talk of business.  You will meet a few more C-levels who may be good prospects.  Think relationship building and not selling.

Now for the ask. You need follow-up with your C-level.  Follow your instincts on the flow of your interaction.  If the program is short,  you’ll have to act fast.  In a day long program,  you may want to approach at the afternoon break.  Whatever the timing,  tell  C-level that your product/service has the capability to impact specific success factors or other business concerns that he/she is likely to have.   Ask if the need is being addressed and who might your competition be?  Request an appointment in or out of their office to discuss mutual alignments.

Be calm and professional,  get your point across and don’t arm twist.   No matter what happens,  you’ll learn whether you have a chance with this person and organization or not.  If not,  well,  you’ll know and will waste no further time on pursuit.  In 6-12 months,  you may cross paths again and maybe get another chance.  If yes,  you are on your way—don’t blow it! Focus on big picture outcomes and benefits and make your best pitch.

Thanks for reading,
Kim