Senior Leaders Don’t Want Presentations: They Want Outcomes
If you work in B2B tech sales, you’ve probably spent hours refining a slide deck, crafting the perfect narrative, and ensuring every visual is polished. And then, you present it to a senior leader, only to realize they don’t even want to see it.
It’s a frustrating moment, but also a crucial learning opportunity. The higher up you go, the less time executives have for explanations. They’re not here for storytelling; they want results.
The Unwritten Rules of Executive Communication
Executives don’t need to see your process—they assume you’ve done the work. They don’t need every meticulously designed slide: they need clarity, speed, and impact.
So what do they actually care about?
Your ability to distil information quickly determines how seriously you’re taken in leadership conversations. The more you simplify and focus on impact, the more influence you gain.
The Mistake That Holds Sales Professionals Back
Many in sales believe that more information equals more credibility. They think the path to impressing an executive is a deep dive into data, analysis, and logic.
But here’s the truth: executives assume you’ve done your homework. They don’t need to be convinced of your competence—they need you to help them make a decision.
Too often, salespeople get stuck explaining rather than driving action. If your answer to a simple question requires a 10-minute backstory, you’ve lost the room.
The 30-Second Rule
Next time you present to leadership, challenge yourself to summarize your main point in 30 seconds or less. If you can’t, you’re probably including unnecessary detail.
For example:
? Ineffective approach: "Based on a deep analysis of last quarter’s pipeline trends, we observed that mid-market customers engaged more with our security solutions after an initial outreach focused on compliance concerns. That led to a 15% higher conversion rate, and we believe that by reallocating budget from broad-based campaigns to a compliance-first outreach, we can further improve conversions."
? Effective approach: "We can increase mid-market conversions by 15% by shifting marketing spend toward compliance-based outreach. Do we have approval to proceed?"
See the difference? One is an explanation, the other drives action.
The Power of Strategic Silence
Executives will ask if they need more information. Your job is to give them just enough to make a decision, then stop talking.
The most effective sales professionals are comfortable with silence. They don’t rush to fill every gap. They let their recommendations land and wait for a response.
Learning to Think Like an Executive
If you want to communicate effectively with senior leaders, start thinking like them.
Great salespeople don’t just pitch solutions—they guide decisions. And in executive conversations, the fastest way to gain credibility is to keep things clear, concise, and action-oriented.
If you’re looking to sharpen this skill and become a more strategic communicator, I’d love to help. Drop me a message, and let’s chat.