how to build intimacy with the c-suite
Post on 12-Jun-2015
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Many marketers often aim at targeting the C-suite.
However, most fail because they don’t understand what
makes these senior decision makers tick.
At a C-Suite level, these executives don’t want to be
friends with you.
You need to build a certain
type of with them.
To help you understand this, let’s dive into the five key
stages to human relationships.
Once you get this, you’ll be able to build a connection with
CEOs, CIOs and the like far quicker and more
successfully.
Most of us try not to seek out conversations with strangers.
We tend to “Withdraw” from interactions where avoidable.
However, in business we’re often thrown directly into them. So we immediately
jump to…
Because communicating and networking with people is a natural part of business,
we usually move straight to this stage.
We follow a set pattern, such as
shaking hands and building rapport.
We follow a “Ritual”. From here we develop these
relationships into…
Here we would begin asking questions related to where
we live, what we do, our hobbies etc.
It’s a great way to find commonalities and
build bridges.
It’s a method of building further rapport and
connecting at a higher level...
Once we’ve built the bridges during the “Past Times”
stage, we start exploring boundaries.
We joke with one another and try to figure each other out on a slightly more personal level.
Once we’ve built solid rapport, these four stages are fairly simple to grasp.
It’s this next & final stagethat remains most elusive to
many marketers…
This is where we share more important and personal
information.
In your own friendship circle, you likely have hundreds of friends...
…50 of which you would probably be excited about
going to dinner with…
But only a handful you would turn to in times of crisis!
In business, it’s the same.
A C-Suite Executive is not interested in:
A C-Suite Executive is not interested in:
Having coffee with you [overcoming Withdrawal]
A C-Suite Executive is not interested in:
Having coffee with you [overcoming Withdrawal]
How friendly you are [Ritual]
A C-Suite Executive is not interested in:
Having coffee with you [overcoming Withdrawal]
How friendly you are [Ritual]
How much you have in common [Past Times]
A C-Suite Executive is not interested in:
Having coffee with you [overcoming Withdrawal]
How friendly you are [Ritual]
How much you have in common [Past Times]
Nor how much you get on [Gaming]
They want to know what
you can bring to the table.
This doesn’t mean your product or even generic benefits…
This doesn’t mean your product or even generic benefits…
Rather, the things that impacts them personally.
Which is what is
all about!
Feel free to invite them out on a social basis. They might
agree to join you.
But there needs to be
back in the boardroom for business to be done.
What to bear in mind:
What to bear in mind:
Be surprising
What to bear in mind:
Be surprising
Challenge what they already know
What to bear in mind:
Be surprising
Challenge what they already know
Come from a credible point of view
What to bear in mind:
Be surprising
Challenge what they already know
Come from a credible point of view
Be relevant
So, what can you do to build
with the C-Suite?
Firstly, articulate it to the C-Suite.
You can do this by communicating opinion
changing points of view and issues that hit them in the gut.
Secondly, establish .
Without it, your opinion is unlikely to be heard.
It answers the question “Why should I listen to you?”
It answers the question “Why should I listen to you?”
Which can come in the form of social proof or endorsements.
To recap:
Challenge an opinion and hit issues hard.
Build credibility.
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