When selling to the C-suite, of course, you want to win the sale. However, those who are most successful with CXOs have a higher priority than just winning the sale, but rather they truly care for the success of the CXO and his or her organization – and it shows. This important orientation motivates them to prepare more thoroughly with concrete examples and stories of what impact their solution could have, enabling them to confidently believe they belong in the meeting, with questions that empathetically reflect insight into those issues and provoke meaningful discussions and clarity.
Being Engaged When Selling to the C-Suite
A good approach to take when you go into a meeting with a CXO is to start with, as a hypothesis, your understanding of their interest, and confirming this. Let them guide the conversation, really listening to what they are saying, and pivoting focus to the concerns they raise. As the discussion and relationship develops, take a personal interest, as appropriate, in their well-being, relating to the mass individuals. Ask about, and listen to their stories and seek out points of common interest from which you can build a relationship. CXOs want to engage with individuals who they believe are interested in them and what they want to accomplish.