Segment by:

1) Checking previous revenue with customer - is there an opportunity for better customer service to be met?

2) What are the REAL drivers and business value of your technology solution?

3) Identify the ‘Pain’:

Identify value drivers that are:

Business critical,

Operational de-risked

Personal career agenda of stakeholder.

• What are the pains in the company, which require you right now?

Know the key Metrics:

Tie your solution (Revenue, People, Process Mindset, Team togetherness) to strategically important initiatives. Selling a business outcome is what customers will buy. 30% increased revenue from Enterprise customers who will renew. £15M growth in OPEX over 3 years.

• Why buy?

• Why buy now?

• Why buy your solution?

Economic Buyer Influence:

Meet and have dialogue with and influence of.

• Do you know the EB? Have you met them?

• Have you checked with them the decision criteria and process?

• What are their expectations? (ROI? Justification? Metrics? Personal agenda?)

• How will this investment be financed?

• What are the timings for initial order and subsequent programmes?

• Who are the key influencers, who will finance, procurement and C suite take their validation from?

Top 1 Gain trusted partner status.

2 Historically those with 2 accounts be 250% of target and those with 75 accounts 70% of their number.

3 Stick with your core skill - relationship building.

4 Be curious enough to add value to your Top 5 prospects.

5 Send emails from your CEO inbox.

6 Send emails after 930pm and before 8am and Sunday morning best time to send to CEO’s and Executives.

7 email format

Short title – Time to market

3 sentences:

• Whilst researching your company I see where you stated you want to drive …we can help with crashworthiness and light weighting.

• We are currently working with company A, B and C and delivering… 24% productivity. Use % rather than dollar amounts.

• Who’s the best person on your staff to share these best practices with?

8 Take a campaign approach to prospecting.

9 Prepare a 4-page investment strategy document.

10 Do the hard work listen to their quarterly earnings calls and presentations.

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

Must be good at time blocking.

• You must conduct the depth of research - otherwise how are you going to add value to those accounts?

• Many technology companies get training wrong, they focus only on features of the products.

• Focus on your prospects business issues and provide proof – your customer case studies.

• My top strategic sales achievers do not want to know too much about the product. They are focussed on the customer and the relationship.

Be curious enough to add value to your Top 5 prospects

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

Looking back, what advice would give your 21-year-old self in the realm of executive selling?

• Slow down to speed up.

• Know who’s on your team. If you know a core weakness of yours is investment strategy get someone to do it. If its crafting message…get other members of the team to do it.

• Stick with your core skill - relationship building. Gaining trusted partner status.

• Historically those with 2 accounts be 250% of target and those with 75 accounts 70% of their number.

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

How do you build trust with CEO to allow to use inbox – it’s unique?

• Naturally not for the mass email but tailored to the targeted accounts.

• I learnt it years ago when I worked for Tom Siebel and he validated it, the results and trust built over time.

• Success rate very high.

• This approach is very impactful.

How do you manage the communication strategy over 9-18 months to show that milestones are being met?

• Team in place, Business development rep for appointments and sales for follow up.

• Been a lot of research that states, you need to engage an executive 6 times in a 30 days period to gain effective influence.

• Investment strategy in PowerPoint to adapt and amend.

• Send emails from your CEO inbox.

Be curious enough to add value to your Top 5 prospects

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

If not now...then when?

Freddie Flintoff reinvention to become Top Gear host, is a long process of adaption and getting out of his comfort zone.

He has undertaken acting lessons.

Presenting lessons and turned hand to stand up comedy.

This is no fluke.

We all need to adapt in enterprise sales, which skills do you need to adapt to excel over the next 3 years?

When is the best time to start...right now.

If not now...then when?

How do you stay curious and focussed enough to join dots yet balance use of time and effort?

• Know your end game.

• Google sheet – serves as library of best practice. Research and veto email.

• Top 5/10 accounts be curious send this investment strategy document, once a quarter over 3 quarters.

• 2 in 3 will hit.

• A campaign approach.

• Not a quick hit approach.

• People are busy - they want access to value so provide and stay curious.

• Listen to their quarterly earnings calls, how changed.

• Get excited about amending your investment strategy document after listening to their quarterly earnings.

• Get excited about sending this out to 8/10 executives.

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

How do you bring value to the executive’s network – peer to peer engagement?

• Ask whom they admire not just in their own industry but outside and then connect them.

• Example AT&T implement of Salesforce automation because they admired EMC as a well-run sales organisation.

• Be consistently curious enough to uncover and make these connections.

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]

Have you done much with unsolicited bids?

• Veto email from your top executive officer is key.

• Prepare a 4-page investment strategy document.

• Be industry rather than company specific.

• Core messaging and benefits of your solution.

• This can grow over time and become the full-blown executive proposal, to fund the deal.

Answer the following questions to enhance your Executive Selling:

• What if - you applied these insights to your current sales pipeline?

• How can you access your curiosity to add value to your top 5 prospects?

• What else could you do to secure executive engagement?

If you would like to receive a full transcription of the notes taken during the interview with Jim then please connect at [email protected]