11 Oct All About the C-Suite and How To Connect With Them
The terms C-suite or C-level executives are standard in the B2B landscape, especially concerning who to target when appointment setting. It can be challenging to approach these executives, so knowing who they are and the best ways to connect with them is essential. There’s no avoiding this process, as engaging the C-suite is something many businesses have to deal with as they market their products/services. These decision-makers deliberate over your proposal and make the call on whether or not their company decides to do business with you.
Who is the C-suite, and why do you need to connect with them?
C-suite executives are the high-ranking officials in a company. They’re the senior executives that operate at the topmost levels of the company’s business operations. The “C” in C-suite stands for the “chief” that typically appears in the titles of highly ranked officials, such as the Chief Executive officer (CEO), Chief Technology Officer(CTO), Chief Operations Officer (COO) etc.
Developing stellar strategies for connecting with these individuals is crucial because they sit at the helm of affairs in every company. No project is started or completed without their approval, including finalizing purchasing decisions. C-suite engagement is often challenging because they operate on a different level than other executives, such as mid-level decision-makers.
They’re highly qualified and experienced leaders with busy schedules who often deal with many tasks that guide the company toward its goals. Speaking the C-suite language is ideal for getting them interested in your offer.
Five tips for connecting and engaging with C-suite
As mentioned earlier, connecting and engaging the C-suite is often complex and challenging, especially for smaller businesses. Here are our top five tips for C-suite engagement.
1. Try different channels and see what works best for you
C-suite executives are as diverse as their roles, so there’s no guarantee that what works with one C-level executive will work with another. This is why trying different marketing strategies and channels are essential until you find the magic one that clicks for a particular executive. Some of the most effective methods of C-suite engagement include Account-Based Marketing (ABM). This technique combines the skills of the marketing and sales team to find the best-fit clients and deliver a highly personalized marketing experience to each prospect, treating them as individual markets.
Cold calling is also another channel that is a particularly effective means of connecting with the C-suite. If your business can get direct access to the C-suite executive you’ve targeted, be sure to present a compelling pitch. Highlight your value position as a benefit to the company, and you’re guaranteed to close the deal. Email marketing is also a great channel as it allows you to share enough information about your business, and how your offer benefits the company—a means for them to reach out to you to connect.
2. Share your unique value proposition
Attempting to use the same sales pitch for each executive you approach won’t work on the C-suite. Conduct extensive research on the company, understand where they’re excelling, and where the company could use some help. Doing research will ensure you’re armed with the correct answers if they ask questions during your pitch. It also shows you understand the companies’ needs and aren’t just focused on making profits.
They all have different priorities, so concentrating on how your product can help solve their pain points or provide additional value in an area they’ve overlooked should be the focus of your pitch. Highlight how your offer helps their company achieve their goals. Whether it’s improving their bottom line or profit margins, focus on showing them how you can help them accomplish their goals.
3. Present data-supported feasible solutions in line with crucial pain areas
Data-driven solutions hold more water with C-level executives as they’re more verifiable and fact-based. It’s not enough to tell the C-suite what you can do for them; it’s vital to show them. Showing data-backed solutions your business has implemented for companies with similar challenges can convince C-suite executives to take the step to convert. What if your business doesn’t have similar projects. In that case, it can be helpful to show data-backed trends and insights from similar situations in the general industry landscape or projections and estimations of how you intend to solve their challenge.
4. Share success stories and case studies
Another incredible way of engaging the C-suite is by sharing case studies, testimonials, and success stories from previous clients with them. Seeing firsthand how your offer benefited another company and helped solve their pain points can drive decision-making in your favor.
These success stories can be included in emails, and whitepapers, be featured on your business website, or shared directly with prospective clients. Case studies show real-world applications of your offer and its benefits from actual companies that generate social proof and credibility and leave an impression of the value of your offer.
5. Be brief and crisp in your engagement
High-ranking executives are usually busy, often juggling multiple tasks simultaneously. They’re continuously looking for new ways to improve their businesses, but this doesn’t mean they have much time dedicated to doing that. Keep your chosen engagement method or message straightforward, short, and to the point. They’ll appreciate your efforts not to waste their time.
Put all the information at the top, highlight how they can benefit from your services or product, and avoid rambling. Keep the introductions short, and don’t dwell too long on your business (you can include a link to your website they can follow to learn more about the company).
These are a few tips on how to engage meaningfully with the C-suite. Contact us today to learn more about optimized engagement strategies and benefit from our years of experience connecting businesses with high-level executives.