What Positively Influences The Top Level Decision Makers
Recently I spoke for members of BASSA (Business Analysis Summit Southern Africa) and discussed ways to influence decision makers. In sales this is a vital skill / ability.
Following is a list of tips that can help you “Stand Above The Competition” and “Impress” Top Level Decision Makers
- Business Person Not Only A Salesperson: Understand their business, their industry, their challenges and seeing their business through their eyes. Instead of selling something, be a problem solver, a bringer of solutions tailored to their needs that are focused on the decision makers top, middle and bottom line. (Sales, Costs, Expenses and Bottom Line Profits). Exude a business man or business woman presence…not just a salesperson.
- Recognizably Different than other salespeople: Especially in the Attraction Stage we know that “Uniqueness” is an important attribute. Show and prove to the Top Level Decision Makers that you are personally committed to making a real positive difference to the Decision Makers Company and to the decision makers as well.
- The Job Interview: Every time you make contact with the Top Level Decision Makers treat the interaction with the decision makers as if you are applying for a position with their company. There are three main areas that a potential employer looks at:
- Your Experience
- Your Credibility
- The Results You Can Deliver
You can lack experience and credibility but if you can prove you will deliver results you will usually get hired…if you are being hired by a Top Level Decision Maker.
You could have lots of experience and credibility with your educational accomplishments but can’t deliver results. With Top Level Decision Makers you will most likely not get hired.
Focus on the “Results You will Deliver” and the Top Level Decision Makers will hire you and your company to be a supplier to his or her organisation. You will know you are there…when the Decision Maker says, “I wish my people produced results like you do. I wish you worked for me”. Your answer if that happens is “I do work for you, I’m just not part of your monthly overhead expenses. I’m here to make you money not cost you money.”
- Rock Solid Confidence And Show It: Confident, well composed decision makers are not impressed with people who lack confidence and self-worth and who continually feel beneath the Top Level Decision Makers. They like confident (not arrogant), well composed people that value themselves and the products and services and company they represent. Know that confidence comes from experience. The more you do certain things and the more you affiliate with people in certain circles the more confidence and poise you build. Following are a few points that can help build your confidence.
- Learn To Speak And Present: The exposure you will often get with the Top Level Decision Makers will be where you are presenting to groups and the Top Level Decision Makers are in that group as the Ruler Power Player or is part of a group of business people you are presenting to or speaking to. Enrol in a programme that teaches presentation skills, join a local “toast masters group”, buy books, utilise YouTube, CD’s, and DVD’s on the topic. Then speak in front of large and small groups as often as possible. The knowledge combined with the experience will eventually turn you into a confident effective presenter. You then will be extremely good at presenting to one, two, three people or even one hundred people. With these skills the decision maker will see and respect you as a confident individual.
- Affiliate With Top People: Take every opportunity that you can to hear Top Level Executives and Leaders speak. These can be the Top Level People from your own organisation, from associations and from present and potential client organisations. By listening to these people speak, you learn the language and terminologies they use. You hear about what is relevant and current in their personal and business life at this moment. If they see you there they will view you as an associate. Then you integrate this information into your conversation and language. Also, where possible in an unobtrusive manner, ask these people intelligent questions during the question and answer period. If your remarks or questions are outstanding and show that you are an intelligent business person they will remember you…especially if you happen to personally introduce yourself afterwards. This can open the door to a follow-up phone call and meeting at a later date.
- Take Notes: Whenever you have the opportunity to be with a Top Level Decision Maker we recommend that you take notes when they are giving you input, answering questions or giving their opinion or advice. It shows that you value what they are saying. Also, you will be more confident during your next encounter or during a presentation because you know and remember exactly what they said. Also, if you listen to them they will in turn listen to you.
- Know And Edify Your Team: Nothing turns Top Level Decision Makers off quicker than hearing a salesperson or company representative running down or blaming their support people or team members. They are impressed with company sales representatives that know and edify their support personnel, team members, their superiors and the executives of their own company. To edify means to “improve morally or intellectually”. What we are saying is to “build up” the abilities and reputation of your support personnel and team members in the eyes of the client. Also, don’t take all the credit for what happens. Explain how others contribute to the success of what you sell or do. This will take you much further than giving the impression that you are the “Be all and end all.”
- Show A Huge Desire To Succeed: Top Level Decision Makers are impressed with ambitious, dedicated, committed people with a huge desire to succeed. That is usually how they got to where they are at and they love to see those qualities in others. They also know that you will service them well.If it happens to be that you are unhappy with the company you work for or the job you have I suggest that you either change your view of the job or get out. Go find something you enjoy because Top Level Decision Makers can sense whether or not you have that burning desire to succeed in what you are doing.
Next week I will continue with Stand Above The Competition With Top Level Decision Makers Part 2. Until then work on having “dominion over your market” rather than “dominate it.”
“If you have found this blog article to be valuable for you, I would be grateful if you “shared” it with your Social Media Networks. Also feel free to circulate it by e-mail or other means internally within your organization or externally to your clients, suppliers and personal and business network. Thank-you!” – Bill Gibson
Bill Gibson is a Canadian who is living in South Africa. He is an international speaker and author and a developer of sales, service, marketing, collecting, employee morale building, personal development and entrepreneurial training programs and systems. His blog is www.bill-gibson.com and his website is www.kbitraining.com. He can be reached at bill@kbitraining.com or phone +27-11-784-1720 in South Africa. You can follow Bill Gibson on Twitter: @billgibson1, connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gibsonbill or Knowledge Brokers International SA Pty Ltd Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/knowledgebrokers?ref=hl