You’ve done some research, you’ve deduced something about a CxO or his company, and you have a great sales pitch in hand. All you need is an audience with the CXO so you can tell him how your solution will fix his problems. But, you hit a roadblock: the CXO has an executive assistant who is coming in the way of your meeting the CXO. How do you handle this?

1. How to make sales pitches to CxOs

2. Set your objective right
● The most important thing to note in making a sales pitch to CxOs is that the objective is to
get a meeting with the C-level executive, and not to make the sales pitch
● You can’t sell to someone on a cold call, especially a C-level executive. You have to set your
objectives, and your first objective is to get that meeting
● But how do you get that message through when everybody else wants a meeting too? Why
should they meet with you rather than one of the thousands of other people that want to
meet them?

3. Turn gatekeepers into gate openers
● Now come executive assistants of CxOs. A lot of people look at executive assistants as an
obstacle that stops them from getting through to the CXO, but it would reap benefits to rather
look at them as a tour guard, someone who can help
● Call and ask the executive assistant, and say ‘hi, I want to schedule a meeting with your
executive, what’s the best way to do that?’, and they’ll say one of two things – ‘what is it
about or does he know you,’ and you say ‘no, no, it is about helping them do X. Would it help
you if I were to send you more information?’ and they always say yes because they want to
get rid of you

4. Turn gatekeepers into gate openers
● This gives you the opportunity to send the person an email and let them know how you can be of
use to them. It is important here to ensure that your message is relevant to them, and is something
they care about
● You should then follow the email up with another call to the executive assistant, and find out if they
received the email and also find out when the executive would be able to read the email.
● They’ll say not for a few days or a week, and you say I know you’re busy but I’ll give you call back
in a weeks time

5. Turn gatekeepers into gate openers
● Now what that does is, it reinforces you in their mind, it shows your respect of the executive’s time…you’re
pretty certain they’re going to get the email and read the email, and if the email is something the executive
cares about, they’re going to either show it to the executive or make a decision on the executive’s behalf to
give you a meeting.
● The message has got to be simple; it has got to be something that talks about them and their issues, not
what you do

6. Looking to read it as a blog? Here you go…
How to make sales pitches to CxOs
http://bit.ly/33ofxix

8. Other interesting posts you would love reading
● How to be better at sales prospecting - http://bit.ly/2lg6Iqp
● The magic triangle to sell more - http://bit.ly/2ljg98w

9. Thank you!