Selling to the C-Suite: 12 Tips To Consider Get A Quote

It is known to everyone that the resident of the C-suite has extreme power in their organizations. They are essential decision-makers when the matter is about some significant investments in businesses.

But with Covid 19, this status quo has been disrupted, and the road to linking with the C-level decision market has been made easy. During the crisis, when several companies started shutting down their office and remained in compliance with all regulations of the lockdown, active participation by the C-suite executives in the whole purchase process increased dramatically.

So, are you ready to take the challenge and opportunity of selling to the C-suite?
Well! While selling to C-suite, you can use these 12 tips that will assist you in getting there:

Tips 1: Do your homework correctly:
This first tip might seem obvious but preparing for the sales meeting makes sure you are fully ready for getting engaged with a CXO. At the same time, you are creating a conversation with C-suite members. You should take your sales preparation to another level to make sure you will have a good discussion about their requirements. Figure out what is relevant to all C-level executives in the company you are targeting and accordingly design your pitch to clarify why your product or the service is one of the best solutions for the company right now.

Tip 2: Be ready to accentuate ROI from day one:
While you get ready to sell to the C-suite, you must include all your data points about the economic effects of purchasing decisions and the ROI you can expect. CXO will wish to hear about those details as quickly as possible, like your first sales meeting. With the economic decision-making taking place much soon in the whole process, it is all about ROI.

Tips 3: The size of the deal matters a lot:
If a CFO is present in the sales meeting, it is nerve-wracking even if you are a seasoned sales pro and how you can crack things for the CEO? The chance is high when you are pitching a small or mid-size company. So, those preparing a pitch for small or mid-size companies must be ready right from the beginning to make communication to increase the value of their product or services with much clarity.

Tips 4: Right from the beginning, embrace C-suite engagement.
It helps in improving the rate of winning. Never make late in going for early involvement by CXO and embrace it as quickly as possible. Try to find out if you can demonstrate a strong business case and realistic ROI early in the process. This way, you are more likely to crack the deal.

Tip 5: Increase the impact of CXO with high clarity meeting agenda:
If you want to win the attention of the C-suite executives and not just their attendance at the time of attention at the time of the sales meeting, you must make a clear plan and send it along with the call invitation. Without it, you might increase the risk of a C-level executive not attending your meeting. When you have a clear agenda for the meeting, it not only assists you in setting your expectations but also offers them the opportunity to go through and offer input on the plan before the meeting. That shows you a good advantage.

Tip 6: Be prepared for the surprising appearance of CXO:
One of the exciting things about C-level executives is they show up when you are expecting. The challenge for those who are sales pros is to come across as you have always anticipated the CXO participation in the meeting. To ensure you are not caught off guard, discuss the objectives of the executive-level stakeholders so that you are always ready for the C-suite discussion.

Tip 7: Make the C-suite executives talking:
When C-level decision takers are making more conversation, it means they are engaged more and highly responsive to any pitch. So, your main objective in any sales meeting where any member of the C-suite is present is to make that executive talking so that you can quickly progress the deal to the next stage.

Tip 8: Never forget the rest of your audience:
In a meeting, never forget to engage with the other stakeholders in your buying decision. You can take their assistance in getting the CXO to see the value of what you are selling, and most importantly, they can do it from their organizational point of view.

Tip 9: Use the presentation materials and your time with CXO very wisely:
Most CXOs have various objectives based on their role while viewing decks and demos. So, make sure to customize your presentation to all persons present in the room. Try to gain more knowledge about your audience and make use of their choices to your advantage.

Tips 10: Save your CXO’s time:
As because you have booked an hour of a sales meeting with CXO, that does not mean you will have to make use of the whole hour. It’s best when you make some effort to give some time back during the end of the call. It offers them a short window before their next meeting to have a cup of coffee, check mail, or anything else.

Tip 11: Never make any assumption regarding CXO presence in any sales meeting:
Research shows that C-suite members attend two or three sessions in one sale cycle about 24% of the time. But never assume that they are taking the lead on any decision-making for making a buy. They want to be in the loop. To know about the fundamental role of CXO in the entire buying decision, ask them how much informed and involved they are in the whole process.

Tip 12: Do not ignore your champion:
Your champion is the central figure in the whole sales process. It is one of the best moves from the beginning to offer them guidance on why C-suite engagement can be a better thing for you and them.

In the selling environment of this new normal, remain assured that you and your team will have good interaction with CXO more than before. You have to understand their role in the whole purchasing process.