In sales, "You get pushed to the person you sound most like." Let's agree on the premise that great salespeople must be in front of leaders and/or decision-makers to influence the decision process and create customers for life. If we are not speaking their language, we won't even get an audience with them. We'll get an audience with "the person we sound most like".
In a recent study from CSO Insights, executives believe that 88% of salespeople are competent talking about their products. And yet, only about 24% of them are skilled at having a high-level business conversation. So, what does this really mean? Almost 80% of salespeople are not focused on solving their customers' problems or on creating a meaningful business conversation focused on improving their customer’s financial and operational outcomes. And so, they are sent down in the organization because that is who they sound most like.
So, what can we do to earn the right to sit in front of these leaders?
Below are 3 things you can do to improve your chances of getting a meeting with the right leader:
1. Understand the buyer persona you are targeting and stay in their operating reality
As you create communications for your prospecting outreach, be hyper-focused on what is most important to the specific leader to whom you'd like to share your expertise. This means articulating your ability to see problems and opportunities as they appear through that person's eyes. In essence, what is in it for them. The best way to do this is to ensure your understanding of both the financial and operational outcomes critical for this senior leader's success. For instance, if you are meeting with a CEO, this graphic shares a few of their most important concerns.
2. Research the industry, the specific company, and the leader with whom you want to meet with this goal in mind:
“If we solve our customers’ problems, we will solve our own.”
Recognize that you are working to solve problems, NOT sell your solutions. This begins with your deep understanding of the most important current and future challenges that might affect that organization’s outcomes. With the many external factors currently influencing strategy, i.e., COVID vaccine, new administration, legal changes, etc., you should be ready to share insights, expertise, and ways to help other companies just like them optimize or accelerate results. In addition, check out both their LinkedIn page and the targeted buyer persona's LinkedIn page. What do they post? What types of articles do they like or comment on? And lastly, don't forget about their website and any press releases, recent news, or specific information that might provide areas where you want to focus your communications.
3. Leverage the power of the referral
90 percent of C-level executives say they never reply to cold calls or cold emails.
50 percent of B2B buyers use LinkedIn as a source for making purchase decisions.
76 percent of B2B buyers rely on recommendations from their professional network.
That last bullet is remarkable…76% lean into referrals within their peer groups. In other words, executives are more likely to agree to a first meeting if referred by a friend or colleague. Another data point shows that 84% of leaders will grant an initial meeting if a friend or colleague makes the introduction. We also know that leaders are more likely to grant a meeting if you provide innovation and best practices that will support what is most important to their outcomes.
To maximize your success rate in reaching the right person in the quickest manner, determine if you have mutual connections on LinkedIn. Perhaps that connection would be willing to make an introduction, share their success working with you and provide a positive influence. Offer to write the introductory email if they would be willing to send it from their email exchange. Make it as easy as possible for your contact.
If you truly believe that you will get pushed to the person you sound most like, Butler Street can help you develop the right prospecting strategies leveraging best practice communications and significantly improve outcomes. After all, our customers grow 4x market on average. Connect with us today to help us learn more about your strategy.