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C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Tips for Overcoming Executive Intimidation

Guest post by: Sam Manfer

Article Overview: Meeting with powerful people makes anyone nervous. Unfortunately, if left uncorrected, you’ll be stuck with subordinates who tend to abuse and hold you hostage. So here is how to correct this executive intimidation situation.

C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Tips for Overcoming Executive Intimidation

Approaching a senior level executive, doctor or high government official is very nerve racking and usually holds sales people back from approaching the ultimate decision makers. That’s because we’re anticipating an unpleasant outcome or projecting a negative experience. The antidote is positive projection and preparation. Say to yourself that you are capable enough and smart enough to go face to face with this corporate exec, high government official, doctor, etc. Preparing for this meeting will help you feel more comfortable and confident. Preparing Yourself 1. Pump yourself up. Say out loud “Unless I get to the top person and s/he agrees to my solution, I won’t make the sale – End of Story.” 2. Realize high level executives are or will always be involved with your sale – no matter what your contacts tell you. 3. Ultimately what these executives want is what matters. Ask yourself: “How will I learn what s/he wants?” “How will this C-level decision maker learn that I can provide it?” 4. Prepare: Talk to people who know the executive. a. Ask questions to learn his/her motivation and desired results. What will you ask? b. Who can go with you? Who knows the exec best and can go with you and say what? c. How will you handle issues? 5. Project Positively: Tell yourself, “This person is seeing me for a reason. I want to know what it is.” “S/He needs my information to make a risk free decision.” “I can solve his/her problems if I know what they are.” 6. Wrap you mind around the idea that this meeting is about learning, not coercing or pushing. Tak’n It to the Streets 1. Pick three top executives in one of your existing accounts. 2. What do you want to know? 3. What will you say to learn more about each of them as it relates to further sales? For example, prepare open-ended questions about issues, opportunities and/or concerns. 4. Who can help you set up a meeting with each individually? Check your Golden Network As an Example A client who had used me in his previous position asked me to train the sales people in his new and larger company. After the training I asked him what I should do to get networked into the rest of the company. He said, he was having a Christmas party and the CEO was coming. He invited me to come if I wanted. At the party he introduced me and gave the CEO a little credibility statement about me. My first words after the intro where, “So what are you’re issues and concerns as it relates to business development in your company?” One year later I had the contract for all of his company. Was I anxious? You bet. Was I prepared? You bet I was.

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Article Tags: CLevel Selling, communications skills, Confidence, confidence building, Relationship Selling, sales consulting, sales management training, sales training, self esteem, selling to top people



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