Selling The C-Level Executive Are you Believable?

1. Selling The C-Level ExecutiveAre you Believable? Top 10 Sales & Marketing Strategies to Increase Revenues & Build Loyalty at the Top September 14, 2006

2. Agenda • Day in the Life • Executive Mindset • Believability Quotient • Top 10 Techniques • What to Do Now?

3. Exercise 0 B.S. M.B.A. Ph.D.

4. Day in the Life

5. Day In The Life The following quotes come from resumes,showing what a CIO values: • Transformed IT into a strategic business partner • Established rapport and credibility with department heads • Hired and managed geographically dispersed staff of differing cultures, weaving them into teams • Contributed to the definition of key strategic business objectives

6. Day In The Life The following quotes come from resumes,showing what a CMO values: • Skilled at reducing marketing costs • Analyzed industry trends and competitive business practices • Create, track and evaluate internal metrics and management reporting to identify marketing performance and effectiveness of programs • Delivered a 50% annual growth rate

7. Day In The Life CMOs spend their time with: • Other C-level execs • Lines of business • Staff/Hiring • Agencies & Vendors • Planning • Budgeting • Technology

8. Day In The Life Percentage of time spent with: • Other C-level execs 10% • Lines of business 20% • Staff/Hiring 20% • Agencies & Vendors 15% • Planning 20% • Budgeting 10% • Technology 5%

9. Executive Mindset

10. Executive MindsetMessaging Layers

11. Executive Mindset Messaging Layers Elevate Brand Position OUTCOME PROCESS PRODUCT GOAL Most companies

12. Executive Mindset Desired Outcomes

13. Executive Mindset Managing Risk Is Key L H Risk tolerance

14. Executive Mindset Desired Personal Outcomes: • Become invaluable • Feel respected and recognized • Get a raise/bonus • Feel good about themselves • Contribute to company’s success

15. Believability QuotientBuilding Trust And Credibility Increase your believability through… • Language • Imagery • Content focus • Storytelling for executives [style] • Packaging • How, when and where you deliver the information

16. Top 10 StrategiesObjective: Elevate your company’s value and brand awareness in the executive mind

17. Top 10 Strategies 1. Message to their lifestyle • Be perceived as excellent risk managers • Be perceived as methodical • Be perceived as a company that understands business, and happens to be in the business of producing XXXXX solutions • That is exactly how the CxO aspires to be known by peers and bosses • OK to be branded as “innovative,” but must marry innovation with solid risk management techniques that focus on business results

18. Top 10 Strategies 2. Help them sell up • Demonstrate how world/industry news events affect their products & services • Demonstrate they are ahead of the curve • Show how your programs incorporate the CEO’s published business goals and objectives into their core foundation • Help CxO increase his/her budget

19. Top 10 Strategies 3. Market outcomes • Business outcomes are NOT benefits • Humanize your content • Peer-to-peer provides best emotional hook • Subtly be part of their aspirations • Collateral/Web site • What marketing material is appropriate? • How should you use it?

20. Top 10 Strategies 4. Play to the executive ego • Provide things that have no direct benefit to you • Market research • Arrange meeting with industry expert or marketing colleague • Get them press • External and internal • Get them speaking engagements

21. Top 10 Strategies 5. Build compelling connection to their brand’s customers • Be perceived as knowledgeable in their industry • Case studies • Industry language • Imagery • Trade show/event appearances • Be their Brand Evangelist • Bring anecdotes from the street

22. Top 10 Strategies 6. Be perceived as building bridges with LOB • Establishes your credibility • Language and imagery to gain believability with LOB management

23. Top 10 Strategies 7. Build believability among trusted advisors • Full-service agencies • Industry experts • Market research firms • Analyst • Staff • Peer [even from another company] • Reporter/Editor

24. Top 10 Strategies 8. Focus on where you fit in their portfolio • Augment rather than compete with their internal team • Can’t be all things to all people • Educate their staff • Where are theirweak spots?

25. Top 10 Strategies 9. Use information as persuasive selling tool • Resist the burning desire to tell all • Special version that looks at things thru their lens • Objectivity is more highly valued and appreciated as you move up the chain • Third-party references need to be part of your marketing campaign

26. Top 10 Strategies 10. Be a matchmaker • Become their partner by solving problems, not just“selling stuff” • Elevate your brand to include services you don’t deliver personally • Nurture strategic partners(like you would a prospect)

27. What To Do Now?

28. Increasing Your Believability • Assess your Believability Quotient • Improve your weaknesses • Leverage your strengths • Turn neutrals into positives

29. Believability GridLanguage | Imagery | Content | Storytelling | Packaging | Delivery Lifestyle Ego Sell Up Advisors Portfolio Outcomes Industry LOB Matches Information

30. Believability Checklist Sales PresWeb Site Language U N Imagery B B Content N B Storytelling U U Packaging N N Delivery B B

31. Good Luck!And Thank YouContact:Bob Goldbgold@gold-group.com732.587.2101 Ext. 255www.gold-group.com