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About the “Roadmap …”

Each issue of the “Roadmap to Sales Success” will contain items of interest to the business (especially the sales) community.

This month’s topic is: “Consulting with C-level Executives” If you offer compelling value and can help a C-level Executive improve his/her company’s Competitive Position, you will be positioning yourself as a Strategic Partner and be granted continued access.

These are the C-level Executives.

“Many companies have formed high level 'partnership' relationships with key suppliers, but most of these relationships have not met executives’ expectations.”
- - White Paper, “How salespeople establish trust and credibility with senior executives”, Alston Gardner, et al, OnTarget, Inc. and UNC, © OnTarget, Inc. 1996

PLAN AHEAD
Upcoming Events Involving Sales Partners:

Please see:
http://www.salespartnersinc.com for details

Vol. 5 No. 3 - - September, 2005 – “Consulting with C-level Executives”

Last month, we discussed, “Approaching ‘C-level’ customers.”

For a refresher, please see: http://www.salestraininginc.com/newsletter/2005/august/

Hopefully, we agreed that these folks are vitally important to our success.

That being the case, we need to have them thinking of us as valued, strategic resources who can help them with their business – and perhaps personally as well.

How?

Well, the first/best way is as with any customer: find out their issues. Once we’ve gained initial access, it is up to us to show real interest in them and their challenges. We manifest that by asking the important questions, based upon our homework about them/their company. (Please don’t go on a “fishing expedition” at this level!)

And, we’d better be ready with some concrete, helpful proposals when we pin down the issues.

So, for instance, if our research indicated that the client’s company was having a banner year, we might try to decide if our contact’s unit was instrumental in that performance.

If they were, we would, of course, congratulate him/her and present GENUINE ways as to how we can help them repeat or better that performance.

If the recent success was not directly of their doing, we might suggest how we can help position our contact to be more successful going forward. (It better be something that will really help – not fluff.)

Once you’ve demonstrated your ability to help, you may achieve “partnership” status.

In his book “Selling to VITO”, Anthony Parinello writes, "The companies that are going through the roof are the ones that are committing to becoming partners for life with their customers."

In his article, “5 Steps for Keeping Customers for Life”, Arnold Sanow writes, "You are not just closing a sale, but opening a relationship."

These heavyweights know that too many salespeople, even sales executives forget how important it is to maintain and build upon relationships with their C-level partners.

One successful call or one successful sale means nothing. It’s providing constant communication and long-term value that ensures the endurance of the partnership.

Next issue: Be on the lookout for next issue of "Roadmap…" entitled, "Maintaining long-term partnerships with C-level Executives"

Until then, Good Selling!

Please note: We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Sales Partners’ name and contact information is included: info@salespartnersinc.com http://www.salespartnersinc.com

Submit your question/comments to: info@salestraininginc.com

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