But why hire C-level executives for marketing?
C-level executives are the top decision makers in the company who decide whether they need to work with a client company or not. It is they who decide whether to establish a relationship with a particular company to sell their products. They are the top-level executives and the most preferred resource for sales and marketing purposes.
C-level executives are always busy with meetings and conferences. We know you have busy schedules. It would be easy to just reach out to these leaders through social media apps. Instead, you have to manually capture their email addresses and contact numbers.
It’s a tough task to accomplish. They hold the most decision-making power within the company. Executives play a vital role in B2B marketing and sales.
Here’s how to effectively reach out to these executives:
1. Stick to the two R’s (research and decision)
Research thoroughly before contacting them. You can find executive profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and other social platforms.
First, get to know your company and analyze your needs. If you are going into direct selling, you need to do thorough research. This is essential. Understand the person and their business world. Be persistent, i.e. determined. You might already know that selling is a tricky game most of the time depending on what you are selling. You need to always be mindful of time. These leaders don’t want you to call or bother them or your team too often. Arrange follow-ups. Add value to your communications.
2. Offer a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Several marketers are waiting to offer their products or services to these executive levels. Find ways to offer the best value to your leaders. Highlight the unique qualities of your product or service. Explain how your product will impact their business. Be competitive with other marketers.
Executives won’t respond to offers that don’t provide value. Let them know that you are looking for ways to provide additional information and reach them outside of your regular marketing. White papers, surveys, and original research are some of the ways to dig deeper.
3. Get recommendations
More than 2.4 million brand-related conversations take place in the U.S. every day. If you provide a great customer experience and great word-of-mouth, referrals will naturally follow. Continually nurturing these connections leads to a positive return on investment.
It’s one of the most effective ways to reach the C-suite level of a company.
This is important because a referral is a trusted lead.
A recommendation demonstrates trust through their endorsement.
You can distribute content or resources, introduce a customer referral program, or offer incentives. 4. Develop an online strategy
Online platforms are great tools for B2B marketing. According to an IDC white paper, 75% of B2B buyers and 84% of executives use online platforms to make purchasing decisions.
LinkedIn is the most effective way to reach these executives. Selling on LinkedIn is the number one priority. 46% of buyers turn to professionals with a LinkedIn profile.
Today, digital marketing dominates the potential buyer’s journey. A recent study found that nearly 70% of pre-purchase research and business evaluations on online platforms are conducted through online research, blogs, webinars, podcasts, and social media.
Choose your network: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, email, voicemail, etc. Executives are incredibly busy. They need to be where they are. Make sure you reach out to them through multiple channels. They may respond through their preferred channel.
Twitter – You can send instant updates and promote your products. Facebook – C-suite executives are active on the Facebook platform, so it’s a great way to engage with them. Voicemail – This is one of the best channels to provide the right information within seconds.
5. Speak at eye level
This means you need to sell your product on an equal footing and make sure the manager perceives you as an equal. People usually prefer to converse and connect with people who have similar mindsets, traits, sensibilities, etc. when it comes to their business.
Top-level managers are a higher-ranking group of people, so offer them the best quality products and services. Present your product in a way that allows them to build a connection with you.
Summary
Staying consistent in your messaging, channels, and value proposition will ultimately help you connect with top-level executives. The management is the most influential person in a company. Dealing with management requires a lot of effort and planning. Using the strategies above, you can reach the executive level of B2B marketing.
