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When and How to Use a Senior Executive’s Time in a Sales Call
At some point in your selling career, you may want to bring an executive to a sales call. And when you do, how do you make sure you're making the most of your executive's presence in the meeting? You may also need to consider, “How should I lead the meeting so that I am still perceived as THE credible point of contact from the vendor's side?”
First off, you would do well if you get your VP or another C-level executive involved, especially for a major deal where high-level executives from the prospect side will be evaluating your proposal. Your executive can provide the most value in discussing long- term strategies for the impending partnership and to demonstrate the level of commitment your company is willing to make for the business relationship to work.
Make no mistake though. You could lose your credibility if you bring in a senior person too soon or when it's not necessary. Here are a few standards to help you decide when to get C-level executive attend a sales call:
- When the prospect wants to hear a long view of the company's history
- When there a lot of moving parts to the sales process
- When the prospect commits to bringing in his or her senior executive too
- When you've identified that a prospect/customer is large or strategically important enough to warrant this level of involvement
The bottomline is this: executive-to-executive selling is NOT about closing the deal - that's your job. Involve a high-level executive as part of an overall strategy that he is thoroughly briefed about. Make sure he understands that his role is to further the relationship, and how your organization wants to take the relationship in two or three years.
Contact us for help in making the most of your executive in a sales call.
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