Starting at the Top

By Steve Kraner, TopLine Solutions, Inc.

The Challenge: A sales rep who is focusing on calling on senior executives sent me the questions below (numbered 1-18), and asked me to comment on them as questions for C-level and VP-level calls.

There is no one-size-fits all answer – that’s the first mistake we make. Executive calls require that you add value. Executives are time-constrained, and are masters of protecting their time. Every senior person I ever spoke to says that a good sales person is worth their weight in gold – given the insight and ideas they bring to the table.

However, they also hasten to say MOST SALES PEOPLE WASTE THEIR TIME.

Being specific develops value. Broad messages to mass audiences won’t work here. This may give you a flavor of the work that one needs to do.

We avoid using these tips as advertising, but I’ve mentioned other resources we provide to deal with these issues – where appropriate.

My responses follow each proposed question.

1) How is your business strategy changing this year?

One of my clients, a software company, recently asked a CIO/customer to give a talk to a group of salespeople about dealing with salespeople. His top DON’T for CIO calling was, “Don’t call to set an appointment to discuss my strategic plan.” Going in with too little homework is a one of the four most common mistakes made on executive calls. Can you imagine how many people want a chunk of these people’s time? It’s annoying to have someone ask you things they could have and should have know prior to the call. So how do you get a more knowledgeable question constructed? Prepare by:

Taking a vertical focus – read the trade press they read, know their industry, know the top critical success factors for this top of company, know the recent trends in the industry. Don’t make them do the mental translation to your world – you have to go in making the translation from your core competencies to their top concerns – in the language of their world – at their level. This is an exercise we do in our Selling to Senior Executives program.
Know their company – look at the wealth of information that lays out their strategies, pressures and plans – and what the top exec’s say about these things – in the Annual Report, on their Web Page, in their releases and conversations with analysts. Start at your favorite Internet portal and go – you’ll have more than you can read in 5 minutes.
Know the person – go to Google – plug in their name – find what you can.
Six degrees of separation – find someone you know who knows them and can give you insight. A consultant, a channel partner, another rep in your company, your boss, your own executives, executives in existing accounts, etc.
Do some research in the industry – produce some findings these people want to see. It’s great if you can get someone to fund it.
Partner with someone who is an insider – who helps you with their inside knowledge and access. Of course they have to see value to them in what you can do.
Hire a consultant who is an insider as a hired gun to help.

Why do senior executives see some sales people on a regular basis while not granting access to others? It’s 100% about the value you add for them. If you waste their time – you won’t get back in. If you show them a way you can impact something they are concerned about – you get a shot. If you prove to add value in a key, strategic area – you’re in the inner circle. They have to focus on a few key issues – typically five or fewer – critical success factors. They do not care about bells and whistles – they care about company survival. They keep their eye on the ball if they are good. They are masters of avoiding distractions and time-wasters.

Instead of asking this question, I would suggest something that like:

In working with other CIO’s in your industry, a concern your colleagues often have is…
I was looking at some public documents, and I saw your comments about your desire to…
Sally, who I think gave you a quick background on my company, suggested we talk because she knows you are trying to…
I was reading XYZ Magazine, and saw the article on ABC. Did you see it? I don’t know if that issue impacts your organization, but it’s an area we might address…

2) Describe the mode your company is currently in? growth, steady, downsizing - What areas?

Again – I honestly think you can and should know this going in. If you take a vertical focus – 4 hours of research can be leveraged over several calls. I am not saying do so much homework you never make calls – most of this today can be done on-line in minutes. When I called on the Army, I paid $500/year out of my own pocket to get a newsletter that a retired General produced. It was well worth it. If you want to be an insider – don’t act like an outsider!!!!!

I am also not suggesting that you make a lot of lower level calls to prepare – it raises the odds of being trapped by a gatekeeper.

3) Share with me the objectives you are focusing on.

If you could know more and be more specific, you should. “I know that last year you were focusing your efforts on a, b, and c. I’ve been told that you are now beginning to look into d, is that something we can discuss briefly?

4) In what areas of your business are you trying to reduce costs? And what have you done to address that?

In today’s investment environment, a focus on hard dollar, near-term saving is essential to getting the interest of senior people. The problem I see is that most tech salespeople don’t have MBA’s – don’t really know what hard dollar, short term ROI is – and are UNCONVINCING. Make sure you have someone, who knows true financial analysis, help you craft the argument. Again, I’d be more specific – and I’d go in with a cost model that is legitimate and applicable. Then walk them through it so that they pick the numbers and buy in to it. If they don’t buy in to it – it must be altered to fit their view of the world. (We do more of this in Selling to Senior Executives, A Mini-MBA for Sales People and we also help organizations build cost models that reps can use to hold senior level financial discussions.) Most ROI or cost calculators I have seen are too general, clearly biased, too full of assumptions, based too much on ‘soft’ dollars savings, or just plain not in accordance with generally accepted financial accounting standards. As a result, executives quickly discard these arguments. A poorly crafted financial argument undercuts your credibility instead of enhancing it. The entire tech segment has lost credibility in this area.

5) Describe how much downtime you are experiencing?

Again, it’s better if you can be more specific. “I understand that your current approach is (show them you did a little homework). When I have worked with other executives in your industry, they tell me that XYZ works well, but that (describe a pain they may have, in words they would use – show them you know something about their business and that you speak to their colleagues). Of course the impact of that is (tell them more of the reason the pain leads to problems that would be big enough to concern them – impacts their competitiveness, impacts their customers, etc.). You don’t see any flavor of that here do you?

By the way – don’t LIE. If you have no prior knowledge and discussions – and your company does – insert the word “WE” for the word “I.” They may ask who you have worked with – they like references – be prepared!

6) How do you quantify that downtime?

7) What is your most mission critical data or application that must always be available?

8) What is the minimum recovery time for that application? Is that time frame being met?

9) Describe the impact of that business interruption on your customers and bottom line?

These could all be good Pain Funnel questions – but I would try to pepper in more indication of industry or company knowledge, while avoiding being presumptuous. If there is a way to know more – then do so. “Do you have SLA’s? Are you meeting them to your satisfaction?” A good question demonstrates inside knowledge of their business and lends credibility to the conversation.

10) Tell me about the technology trend that is most impacting your business?

By now, I guess you can anticipate – I think this reflects too little knowledge going in.

“I know a lot of folks at your level feel that XYZ is an important trend in your industry – what’s your personal view?”

“I saw your remark in ABC journal – you seem to be leading your industry in the area of XYZ. I see potential to support those efforts – can a ask three specific questions in that area?”

“In our recent work with ABC, the board of directors was pressuring the CEO to ABC – is your board think about that?

11) Are you entertaining proposals for solutions you are currently looking at?

This sounds like, “Is this the party to whom I’m speaking?” Drop it.

12) Have you used consultants? Why? What did they find? Has it been fixed?

This could be a great enhancement of the Pain Funnel question, “What have you tried so far?” You can’t be too pre-programmed, though. Use it when it makes sense.

13) Describe your disaster recovery plan?

Don’t tell senior people what to do. It would be best if you knew more coming in. If you don’t, ask politely and with some indication that you have done some preparation.

“Mary, I don’t want to waste your time with things that I should already know – in my research I have found XYZ, but I don’t know ABC. Can you help fill in that piece?”

“Of course I’m aware that you currently ABC, but I’d like to determine exactly what your personal views on disaster recovery are. What’s you’re current setup? How is it working for you? If there were one thing about it you would like to improve?”

14) Disk storage capacity on servers is increasing at a tremendous velocity. What solutions have you put in place to handle this growth?

“The growth in disk storage capacity has become so explosive for many organizations that it’s something that some CIO’s are personally giving some thought. Is it on your radar? What are your views?”

15) Storage capacity is scaling faster than tape cartridge capacity and tape bandwidth. What is your biggest challenge with tape management?

I know the ‘biggest challenge’ question is on our Pain Funnel – but it runs the risk of sounding like every other salesman, and like you haven’t a clue about him and his business. Instead, I’d suggest, “Storage capacity is scaling faster than tape cartridge capacity and tape bandwidth. For many of your colleagues that translates to… Do you agree?”

16) How are you lowering your data management costs?

“We know organization are focused on short-term, hard dollar savings today. We have done some work with other CTO’s in your industry to lowering your data management costs. Is this an area where a five minute exploratory conversation might be useful to you?”

17) What could help you do your job better?

As a last resort open probe – I might use this.

18) Who else do you recommend I speak w\ in your organization?

If you get some level of engagement – then this is where you need to go. I’d ask, “Who else in here is impacted by this issue? How would you suggest they be involved in the process? Would you mind letting them know I’ll be contacting them? – and by the way – I will not overstate your position here today.” Get sponsored in by the executive.

Steve brings his dynamic leadership skills, honed by his training at West Point and experience as a paratroop commander and entrepreneur. A risk taker with a track record of successes and a taste for breaking new ground, Steve can walk the talk and sales teams buy in to his innovative approach to selling. He is a nationally published author on the topic of software sales, sales management and negotiating.

Steve can be reached by email at: skraner@sti-va.com

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