Selling Higher: Your Essential ‘C Level’ Glossary
Selling Higher Thursday, January 27th, 2011
‘You say ‘tomato’, I say ‘tomatoe’… let’s call the whole thing off’ so go the words of the song. For salespeople determined to sell higher – that is at C Level – the experience is something similar.
C Level executives don’t think, act, or even talk like their lower level colleagues. That is because the view from the board room, or corner office is different from lower down in the corporate HQ. One of the implications is that when salespeople start selling higher they need to revamp their vocabulary.
The New C Level Vocabulary
The salesperson who wants to sell higher must speak the same language as the C Level executive. Having eves dropped on 100s of C Level conversations we put together a glossary of some of the most commonly used terms that those salespeople selling higher are likely to hear.
To boost your success you need to pack your presentations, conversations and proposals with these terms:
Talking about direction…Success Strategy Objectives Vision Goals Business Drivers Strategic Priorities Strategic Agenda Strategic Direction Strategic Fit Strategic Alternatives Strategic Options Talking about their industry…Growth Rates Market Share Market Trends Market Opportunities and Threats Must Win Battles Innovation Visibility (Measurability) & Control Cost Cutting Improved Efficiency Down-sizing /right-sizing Doing More With Less Out-sourcing and In-sourcing Specialisation and Core competence Talking about what matters…Key Success Factors KPIs Risk Dependencies Milestones Gaps Benchmarking Competitive Advantage Compliance Regulations Standards |
Talking about results….Results Performance Business Case Financials Profit and Loss Balance Sheet Investment Payback Metrics Cost-Benefit Analysis Roi APR Total Cost of Ownership Full Lifecycle Costs Talking about buying…Budget Business Case Sign-off Approval Politics Sponsor Buying Team Cross-functional Synergy Implementation Making it happen… Change (change management) Compliance Implementation Project planning / management Accountability Value Management |
Having scanned the above table, how many of these terms did you use in your last sales pitch, presentation, or proposal? Are you having conversations with buyers on these subjects? If you are not then you’re not quite selling to C Level yet.
What’s In A Word?
Having read the list you will have figured out that it is not just a matter of doing a ‘FIND AND REPLACE’ in your Word documents and Power Point slides. That is because the words don’t mean a whole lot in and of themselves. Take for example, ‘strategic fit’ – that is how any new project, purchase or proposal – fits with the web of organisational decisions, strategies and goals. However, start a conversation on the subject of ‘strategic fit’ it is likely to bring many important issues to the fore:
- Why this project / purchase should receive funding over other projects?
- What projects are competing for the same resources?
- How the project supports the achievement of key business objectives?
- The key market and business drivers which underpin the project?
- How the project fits with past decisions?
- How the project /purchase fits with company culture, processes and systems? Etc.
Want to find out who’s really making today’s buying decisions, then click here.
Posted by Ray Collis
on 10:11 am. Filed under Selling Higher.
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