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.
