dangletech

Call High.  It’s where the finger so often gets pointed when the Account Manager can’t progress an opportunity.  "Just get me that CXO meeting and I’ll close the deal…."

Well hold on a minute.  Is Calling High all it’s really cracked up to be?  I think the answer is "It depends".  But in my experience the more fundamental problem is that most organizations just go about handling relationships with customers in the wrong way, and don’t plan or strategize on how and when to build those relationships with the customer organization.

When hiring Territory and Account Managers I have frequently asked in early stage interviews:  "Tell me your philosophy for calling high in your customer accounts."  It turns out to be a pretty good way to screen whether a Sales person fundamentally understands the construction of customer relationships, and how to utilize them to build momentum.

The most common answer I’ve received to this question?  "I go high right from the beginning, find out who the assistant is to the CEO or CTO and schedule a meeting."  I am really hard pressed to understand what can be accomplished at such a meeting when you have not established other relationships within the organization, you don’t understand the issues and problems that the organization below that CXO faces, and you don’t even know yet whether that individual factors into closing the deal.  I think it is pretty naïve to believe that such a meeting would advance the sales process (rather than hinder or ultimately kill it).

Don’t get me wrong.  CXO level relationships may ultimately be necessary to close the deal, or further progress into the account.  But before going there have we really mapped out the individuals in the customer organization, determined the political alignment, understood their motivations, figured out their level of authority, learned how the customer organization signs off on purchases of the magnitude and complexity of the solution that we’re presenting.  And from our side have we figured out who is best in our organization to be building relationships with each of these players?

I think we all understand that having a "Coach" in the customer organization is a necessity to close out or progress any Sales opportunity.  This individual is our internal spokesman, information conduit, and ultimately the internal Salesperson.  There can also be influencers for technical and business aspects.  There are budget owners and long term strategy owners.  There are Purchasing Buyers, Legal and Contracts owners.  There could be players from Engineering, Marketing, or other Product divisions.  Ultimately it is our responsibility as a Sales organization to figure out who all of these people are, understand their role in the Purchase, and determine where each stands with respect to our organization and solution.

So back to "Calling High", or in my view "Calling High Enough".  First off what level do you need to go to for closure?  Meeting with the CIO in a major corporation when you’re a small technology vendor seeking first entry point into an account could be an unmitigated disaster.  Maybe that individual only sees vendors already doing 100’s of millions in business annually, or when there are major issues with the vendor solution post sale (the classic "getting beaten and flogged meeting").  Initiating such a meeting may just send a red flag flying throughout the organization as the CIO subsequently asks why the people below are even looking at such a high risk proposition.

The most effective meetings at high levels of any customer organization happen when you go in prepared.  These should never be cold call meetings.  You’ve already met the other key players in the organization, understand the problems and issues, and thus can carry out a meaningful discussion with that CXO.  Validate the issues, confirm the level of urgency, and ensure there is money/budget available to proceed.  Solicit endorsement and support.  Build credibility and the seeds of a long term relationship and understand the frequency at which you remain in contact and stick to it.

In Calling High Enough, recognize that you’ve generally got one shot at it, these meetings are usually quick and to the point, and that you had best go in with some credibility and support already established in the customer organization.  And just as importantly you need to go in with the right individual from your organization who can establish the long term relationship with this person.  Otherwise the results may not be what you hope for or expect.  There is a right time and a place for building each relationship in the customer organization, and it’s best we figure that out before we go naively wandering into that meeting with the CXO just because someone thinks we should…