5 Executive Decision-Making Styles You Can t Afford to Ignore Byron Matthews, President & CEO. #SalesInsights

Transcription

1 5 Executive Decision-Making Styles You Can t Afford to Ignore Byron Matthews, President & CEO #SalesInsights

2 Agenda Why Executive-Level Selling 5 Distinct Executive Decision Styles Actions for Success: Pre/In/Post-Meetings Behaviors and characteristics What they desire & keys to success Tailoring communications by style The one-liner approach Key Takeaways

3 Executive Selling Effectiveness How important is it in your business to sell at the executive level? As a sales leader, how satisfied are you with the way your sales people are dealing with senior executives? What would you fix to solve this problem? Common Answer: They have trouble getting access to senior executives, and when they do, they don t know how to be effective with them.

4 Why Executive-Level Selling? Latest research confirms that executive-level selling is a world-class behavior In a large deal, we always gain access to key decision-makers. We have relationships and dialog at the highest executive levels with all our strategic accounts. 38% 90% 40% 97% All Respondents World Class All Respondents World Class

5 Five Distinct Decisions Styles Charismatic Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller 25% 11% 19% 36% 9%

6 The Charismatic 25% Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics Enthusiastic Captivating Talkative Dominant Give the headlines first Persistent Risk-Seeking Factual Responsible Keys to Success Stay grounded in results even if they don t Address risks up front Innovative Follow through, follow through, follow through! What Charismatics Desire Strong interaction during the meeting Visuals with charts and facts Quick movements from big picture to details, especially implementation issues Presentations that are grounded in reality and bottom-line results Anything that makes their company more competitive

7 The Thinker 11% Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics Intelligent Competitive Cerebral Academic Tell it Chronologically Value Driven Not Social Guarded Compassion Keys to Success Involve them in the process Address risks up front Openly Communicates concerns What Thinkers Desire Balanced levels of emotions and rational logic Strong need to see your process Prefer to ask questions in meetings and want to hear all the risks upfront More control rather than innovation

8 The Skeptic 19% Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics What Skeptics Desire Strong Personalities No fear Demanding Disruptive Suspicious Anti-Social Disagreeable Rebellious Due to highly suspicious nature, only want to hear from a credible source Prefer not to be matched aggressiveness, unless the person has credibility with them Keys to Success Establish Credibility Stand firm but find the middle ground Keep your emotions and ego in check Go to the source of credibility Want to believe they know things already, don t seek help Balanced decisions between external and internal viewpoints

9 The Follower 36% Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics What Followers Desire Spontaneous Value-prone Responsible Brand-driven Avoid Humiliation Fear Choices Not early adopter Want to be sure they make the right choice Most often, choices are made based on the same way its always been, or the same way someone else successfully has done it in the past Keys to Success Proof, Proof, Proof Credible and relevant Keep it safe Link the new to the old Never want to admit they are a Follower Want everyone to believe they are innovative but never are early adopters

10 The Controller 9% Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics What Controllers Desire Self-Absorbed Unemotional Sensible Detail-oriented Analytical Fact-based Objective Accurate Cannot ever really be persuaded because they are in control Want highly structured and linear approach to a presentation Keys to Success Enable action Don t force Leverage trusted lieutenants Build alliances Draw your line and hold it Want details, but only if presented by an expert Can be very arrogant and self-absorbed, so prepare for a lot of silence Decision making based on own input only

11 Five Distinct Decisions Styles Famous Examples Charismatic 25% Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller 11% 19% 36% 9% Lee Iacocca Jack Welch Richard Branson Warren Buffet Bill Gates Alan Greenspan Michael Dell Larry Ellison Tom Siebel Ted Turner Carly Fiorina Peter Coors Bob Nardelli Jacques Nasser Ross Perot Martha Stewart Rupert Murdoch

12 Poll Question Which executive decision making style do you interact with the most? a. The Charismatic b. The Thinker c. The Skeptic d. The Follower e. The Controller

13 Keys To Success Charismatic Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller Give the headlines first Tell it chronologically Establish credibility Proof, Proof, Proof Enable action don t force Stay grounded in resultseven I they don t Involve them in the process Stand firm, but find the middle ground Credible and relevant Leverage trusted lieutenants Address risks up front Address risks up front Keep your emotions and ego in check Keep it simple Build alliances Follow through, Follow through, Follow through. Openly communicate concerns Go to the source credibility Link he old to the nee Draw your line and hold it

14 Summary Of Executive Decision Styles Charismatic Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller Risk Responsibility Competitiveness Rebellion Impulsiveness Persistence Fear & Uncertainty Key Seeks Neutral Avoids Self Absorption Playfulness Education Intelligence & Facts Bargains

15 Getting There Is Only Part Of The Equation How sales professionals are selling is incompatible with how executives are making decisions This could result in forecast deals with No decision. Giving Information must be tailored to an executive s decision style to improve the Getting Commitment Executive Decision Styles 25% 11% 19% 36% 9% Charismatic Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller 4% 12% 48% 6% 30% Seller s Approach N = 1,684 (Executives Only) Range of Error = +/- 2.9 points

16 Key Actions: Pre/In/Post-Meetings Vary the following according to decision style Timing When do I present this information? Depth The amount of detail for each resource Order Sequence of resources presented Media Type used to present each resource (PowerPoint, flipchart, demo, handouts, etc.)

17 Adapting To The Five Decision Styles (The One Liner Approach) Charismatic Thinker Skeptic Follower Controller Overview; no long Power Points; 3-4 bullet items. Supply all pertinent information; be sure to demonstrate the process used for the recommendation. Credibility is key; use primary sources of data; don t wither under the seeming attack of questions. Make sure to supply proof of concept; best practices oriented; where has it worked before? Sow the seed of an idea; let it happen, don t try to make it happen; has to be his/her idea; work basic Issues.

18 Multiple Decision Styles Approach Research showed almost 80% of sales presentations targeted Skeptics and Controllers, while they only represent slightly more than 25% of Executives Focus on Charismatics, Thinkers and Followers these represent 72% of Executives, yet only 22% of presentations are made this way

19 Key Takeaways The name of the game is not to get trapped by your own style but to adapt to theirs. Do not change the message, just the way you deliver it to each executive.

20 Thank You Q&A

21 Close out 2016 strong! Learn more about Be Ready solutions from Miller Heiman Group. MillerHeimanGroup.com