Get a Meeting With the Head Honcho To Pitch Services

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djbaxter

djbaxter

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How To Get a Meeting With the Head Honcho To Pitch Services
by Andrew McDermott, Grade.us
April 10, 2018

Decision makers instruct gatekeepers to screen salespeople out. Busy executives do everything they can to avoid them. Culturally, they're viewed as a manipulative nuisance, the kind of distraction customers steer clear of. ....

There's a variety of reasons, but they all boil down to one thing. Salespeople are viewed as inherently selfish. In the minds of most customers, they're focused on taking rather than giving.

The head honchos don't know you. These decision makers don't care about your services. They're not interested in your "offerings." They're definitely, absolutely not interested in setting up a time to talk. .... Not yet anyway. They're looking for a solution to their problems, a fire extinguisher for their fires.

Which means you'll immediately be expected to satisfy several criteria when you ask for their time and attention. Here's how you meet their criteria.

1. Know their pain. You understand their fears, frustrations and problems. You have a specific (or general) idea of what's at stake for them, especially if they fail to meet their goals.

2. Speak their pain. You're able to feed your prospect's pain back to them in a way that causes them to exclaim "Yes! They get me" or "That's exactly what I'm going through."

3. Don't speak "self-serve." Your focus should immediately be placed where it belongs, on your customer. Don't go on and on about your company, services, years of experience, etc. until it's necessary and relevant to do so. When it's necessary, be brief tying anything you say back to their problems.

4. Offer a strong value proposition. A strong value proposition meets four distinct criteria in a customer's mind: (a.) I want what you're selling, (b.) I can't get this specific value proposition anywhere else, (c.) I understand your message and (d.) I believe it/you. If your value proposition doesn't meet all four criteria, you don't have a strong value proposition.
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#2
Lisa B

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This is great! Timely (for me) and timeless. I am ultra nervous about calling a corporate HR director of national company next door. I do not have access to get in the front door- but thanks to LinkedIn, I got his name...!
Thank you.
 
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Leigh Steele

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Lisa B said:
This is great! Timely (for me) and timeless. I am ultra nervous about calling a corporate HR director of national company next door. I do not have access to get in the front door- but thanks to LinkedIn, I got his name...!
Thank you.
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Lisa, you've got this! Stay aligned with your purpose and goals - and how those can serve his business - and you will rock the call. :)
 
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Lisa B

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Actually, thanks to you Leigh, I walked up to the business and asked the keepers of the gate how does a business let all their employees know about their discount with us. I am going to prepare a flier to deliver to him directly (with a note) and distribute. So thanks!
 
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Lisa B

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Welp! I marched myself in there today with a business card, a handwritten note requesting a meeting (to plan a class/ a tasting/ joining an employee health fair/ or distributed flyers) and attached to a flyer I made for their company highlighting their discount, our rewards programs, social media and location. The ladies at the front desk assured me they would get my package to the right person. If I ever get upstairs, I will update you!
 
#10
Edvin

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Lisa B said:
...get upstairs...
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Going through the proper channels is the right way of doing business.
Sometimes, opening the communication channel directly with "head-hancho" is the way to go.
One strategy I use to learn about a business is the utilization of ReferenceUSA.com database, which is free when I follow its link from my local library. In this case, it sounds like you already know who the head-hanco is :)
 
#11
Mike Branton

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Edvin - I love ReferenceUSA. Great tool!

All - sometimes, to get to the head honcho, you have to first get other influencers excited, and they will champion your cause. Other times, the Honcho is not the right person at all. Use ReferenceUSA, or ask a gatekeeper or other internal employee who you should be talking to instead of/to get to the Honcho. If you have stakeholders championing your cause to the Honcho, you not only get to see him/her, but you come into the conversation with credibility and clout.
 
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