FOUR QUESTIONS YOU MUST USE WHEN SELLING TO THE C-LEVEL

If you are the elite salespeople who get meetings directly with C-level executives, they either really like you or really like your product—now it’s time to drive the sales opportunity and be well prepared to close the deal.

It’s a situation that keeps all salespeople up at night. How do I sell a C-level executive that they need my product and how do I give a presentation that will blow their minds?

Even the most experienced sales reps still get intimated talking to the top executives of a company. But you must get over that fear and look past the title. They are just normal professionals whose goal is to increase the success of their business in the quickest way with the least amount of investment. But don’t soon forget—these executives are serious about their business and usually have personal alignment with the company, so success to them is vital. They will do their due diligence and be thorough in their review—it is best to prepare for their questions. Below, we have pulled the top four questions that C-level executives want to know.

Opening the door to sell the C-Suite

1. How will your product improve my business?

Strategic alignment within their existing corporate initiatives and value-based results are at the top of these executive’s minds—if you can’t prove your product will provide true value to their company, good luck closing the deal. From the offset of your presentation—explain how your products will improve their business, and do it in the precise language of the executive – financial.

In your presentation—include metrics for measuring your performance and ensuring your business outcomes are viable and achievable in the short-term. Of paramount, C-level lives quarter by quarter so, so make sure your business value delivery projections adhere to this.

Use unbiased and substantiated financial data and proofs (customer value statements, industry research in your solutions’ value, etc.) to show how your product will boost their bottom line. It varies by industry—but focus on the metrics that the company will be most impressed with.

2. How long will the implementation phase be?

High-level executives don’t want to waste time—they want to know how quickly they will be able to see value in a tangible form within their organization. They demand real, tangible results. Time is money for these C-level executives—they want ease of integration into their strategic technologies or processes. They will not recommend you to their mid-level management to have your solution vetted if they are not convinced.

Although, some business solutions may take weeks, months or potentially a year to implement. If that’s the case—break things down into smaller units so your clients can see the progression on your part. If your solution takes months to implement, without a detailed plan and milestone objectives, that might be enough to break the deal. And value needs to be an overlay into your milestone plan.

“20,000 sales professionals assessed from global companies, from tech to health care, and on average, they exhibit only about 50% of the business knowledge and savviness that executive-level buyers desire. In most grade books, that’s failing.” 

Corporate Visions

3. What kind of ROI will I see from this product?

This is the number all C-level executives want to hear in a sales pitch—how many times over will they see their investment return from the results of your product, and NPV and payback term is advised. If you can explain to them that for every one dollar they invest, they will make x amount back and show it in a cash flow view, you are going to be top of the stack with the people trying to get to them and do business with them. How well do your ROI's work in getting your meetings into new accounts?

4. What are the possible missteps and are there guidelines in place to fix them?

The last thing C-level executives want to happen is for their company to lose ground to their competitors due to a problem with your solution or software solution. It is always best to have a plan B and to make the executives aware of how you will implement this fix.

In SaaS, everything is the annual contract—do you really want your customers to be disgruntled for 12 months and to share that experience with peers? Try to differentiate your product by offering ways to improve the software if it’s not to the company’s standards or a money-back guarantee. Don’t let the repercussions of being unprepared to lead to the failure of your product.

How would you improve getting into larger accounts using a value approach?

Want a presentation filled with data metrics that will blow them away? Thought Leadership will deliver this. Revenue Accelerators believes that account-specific, personalized, C-Suite Business cases for the “front end” of demand gen and the sales cycle are critical.

Sales reps need to be differentiated—have the tools to get the meetings with C-level executives and show them why they not only need your software, they need you as well.

#thoughtleadership#insights#sales#businessoutcomes#clientacquisition#SaasSales

Ed Golod, CEO & Founder, Revenue Accelerators

[email protected]

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