Selling to Intimidating People- C Level Executive Selling and the Art of Applied DISC Part Two

Selling to Intimidating People - Executive Sales and DISC: Part Two

Dr. Bradley Smith of PeopleKeys shares advice from his years of experience working with and selling to C level executives. Part one of this two-part series can be read here.

Fewer Slides - Think about the type of slide presentation you might want to have when you are hosting a face to face meeting. Model your presentation after something you would want to see. Keep it succinct. Don’t put more than three bullet points on a slide. Incorporate interesting images and contemporary design. Stick to just a few slides. These slides need to be more about their company and its needs and how you will create solutions to meet their needs. Think about putting your last slide first. What is the end result of what you are presenting? Start with that so you can grab their attention and maintain their focus, and then return to it to increase retention and drive your point home.

Gist – What is the general gist of your presentation? Give them the main idea of your presentation immediately without a lot of preamble. Keep the conversation on the subject, use persuasive language, focus on their company’s needs, and keep it brief and straightforward.

Hone in on the target cost – Don’t be cheap. Don’t focus on price, but be prepared to give a range. Focus on Return On Investment. Statements like, “I can guarantee you will see a return on your investment in xx days, weeks, months, etc.” SELL SOLUTIONS to C level. Never sell products.

Integrity – Don’t pretend to be an expert when you are not. We are happy to partner with you. Also, it may be helpful to find out who you might be involved with on their end. Share who you might pull in, share who has been working partners with you before. You can use Peoplekeys as examples if you are a certified consultant. Make sure they see you as an expert. Add certification to your resume.

Just (K)lose – Don’t be afraid to close. These people know why you are there. Don’t insult their intelligence or be afraid to ask with confidence. Close with directed questions like “If we can provide the solution within your budget, what time frame would you like to see this implemented within?”

Leave them in Control – The C level executive probably has a primary D style personality, and hates to feel like they are being taken advantage of. Make sure your C level client always feels in control. Understanding personality and the PeopleKeys D4 will help you do this. The best thing in the world is by the end of the meeting the C level Exec feels like they came up with the idea and you are the one who they trust can accomplish this.

Make it Personal – Always make sure they believe the solution is tailor made for them. Discuss what their company needs with them, negotiate ways in which your products can be customized to fit these needs. With PeopleKeys you can do this.

Nothing to it – Focus on continuity. No one wants to implement something new that is time consuming and creates more work. Plan how your services/solutions can be part of their existing initiatives.

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Posted By: Shanna Bennell

Former PeopleKeys Employee