To make a sale in an increasingly complex marketplace, you may need to win over the support of several decision-makers within a single organization. And that means figuring out who those people are, what information is relevant to them and how to approach them. It’s a lot like looking for a job. You create a fresh cover letter for each opportunity, and in that cover letter, you show what you know about a potential employer and how you can solve a problem. Rely on those skills you already have to develop successful relationships with prospects.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Most businesses have websites that can help you figure out who the key C-level executives are. Once you have names, think about the pain points these decision-makers have. For example, if the product or service you’re selling would improve internal technology that should be the focus of your pitch to the CTO. CFOs, of course, will be more interested in how your product will help them save money.

2. DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE

Even if you’ll be highlighting different points for each decision-maker, prospects might prefer you conduct a short presentation for all of them, to save time. Or you may need to have individual conversations before you get to that point. Either way, you should send personalized follow-ups after your conversations, just as you would send personal thank-you notes after a job interview with multiple managers.

3. ASK STRATEGIC QUESTIONS

Use your initial conversations with key stakeholders to find out more about the company and the problems they’re trying to solve. Ask about the decision-making process, too. If you know that three C-level executives must reach a consensus before signing a contract, but the CFO will be on vacation for two weeks, you’ll know how to better time your follow-up inquiries.

4. KEEP TRYING

Just as finding a job requires patience and persistence, so does connecting with prospects. Learn more about how to stand out from the competition in our white paper, “The 4 Cs of Sales." Fill out the form below to download the white paper: