Getting into the C-Suite, Major Account Sales

Getting into the C-Suite, Major Account Sales

• 1.
  Getting into theC-Suite Multiple points of entry + Referrals = Shorter sales cycle
• 2.
  Multiple Contacts =Shorter Sales Cycle Diversify Your Risk Simultaneously contact all business units and budget holders inside a brand to maximize entry points and reduce dependency on a single contact. Build Consensus Facilitate consensus-building among all stakeholders by engaging multiple decision-makers early in the process. Manage Influence Navigate indirect influence from users, subject matter experts, reporting departments, clients, and infrastructure suppliers. Phone Discussions Can be arranged more quickly than in-person meetings, accelerating your initial contact and qualification process. Collapse Lead Times Facilitate engagement with multiple stakeholders simultaneously, dramatically reducing your overall sales cycle. Strategic Planning Diversify Risk Contact all units and holders Build Consensus Engage decision-makers early
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  Combatting the "ColdCall" Enroll the "gatekeeper" and get your message into the prospect's hands 01 Ask for time in the prospect's calendar and send a briefing document 0 2 Follow-Up Strategically Resend the briefing document to maintain momentum and visibility. 0 3 Track Forwards & Referrals Monitor who receives forwarded materials—this identifies key influencers around the issue you are raising. 0 4 Leverage the 70% Rule Seven out of ten contacts result in a referral, opening doors to "beyond-the-org-chart" influence around your offering.
• 4.
  Referral = Insight,NOT a Brush-Off Every referral provides valuable intelligence about your opportunity and accelerates your sales process. 1 Pre-Qualification Signal Doc read validates the business challenge by accepting a meeting or making a referral—both indicate genuine interest. 2 Reveals Influencers Referrals identify key influencers around the executive and signal that investigation may already be underway. 3 Permission-Based Access Gain access to indirect influence around the decision: users, subject matter experts, and implementation support teams. 4 Roadblock Intelligence Executive referrals indicate where obstacles may exist and provide access to influential stakeholders who can help navigate them. 5 Stakeholder Visibility Track document opens and forwards to identify engaged stakeholders and gauge organizational interest levels.
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  Reframe Benefits to"Shared Value" Repositioning a color printer: shared vision by engaging education stakeholders BEFORE Features & Benefits: "Color printer in the school market: faster, longer life cartridges, ROI" Sounded like competitors, led to price-based purchasing decisions. INSIGHT Non-classroom influencers revealed that board members, administration, and parents shared a common need related to school rankings. AFTER Shared Value: "Color images lead to higher student engagement, to higher GPA, to higher school rankings" Moved from features to a higher order of need. Key Takeaway: Transform product features into shared stakeholder value that resonates across the entire organization.
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  Shared Value GuidesBusiness Benefit Briefing Document as Agenda Send your briefing document with the meeting invitation to serve as the discussion agenda and frame the conversation. Focus on Stakeholder Value Guide the conversation towards stakeholder value rather than product features to avoid a one-way "talking brochure" dynamic. High-Gain Questions Use opinion-based questions to identify mobilizers and uncover other stakeholders in the decision-making process. Questions That Mobilize Consensus "When you read our materials, what caught your attention?" "What would you like to take away from our conversation today, perhaps related to projects you are working on?" "Which other groups or departments would be impacted by our solution?" "What might the reaction of other stakeholders be to our solution?"
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  Beyond Features: MobilizingConsensus Shared stakeholder view of business challenges rather than features + benefits SpeechScience Social Capital: Executive communication skills that build influence and drive organizational alignment. View Case Study Hubspot LinkedIn Prospecting: Social media monitoring strategies that identify and engage decision-makers effectively. View Case Study NextStage Reading Virtual Minds: Intellectual property, intention analysis, and understanding online environments to predict behavior. View Case Study Each case study demonstrates how reframing from product features to shared stakeholder value accelerates consensus and shortens sales cycles.
• 8.
  Let's Talk... Catherine McQuaid's Contact Email: huntnewbiz.mcquaid@gmail.com Phone:416 841 3900 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/huntnewbiz Ready to transform your key account sales strategy? Let's discuss how multiple entry points and strategic referrals can accelerate your sales cycle.