It’s pretty standard these days for sales professionals to be on the lookout for what are called “trigger events” as a way of spotting potential new business opportunities.
Trigger events are a sign that something has/is/maybe happening within a prospects organisation that could create a new need for them. Or the trigger event may highlight an opportunity to approach that potential client with a more targeted approach than the old-fashioned (and non-specific) cold call.
A newcomer in an executive role is often seen as a trigger event.
The new person may be looking to make changes, implement new strategies, or take a different approach than their predecessor.
So the dutiful sales professional is keen to contact the new decision maker/executive as soon as possible. Strike while the iron is hot, as the saying goes.
However a recent study ‘Ascending to the C-Suite’ by McKinsey & Company into the time it takes new C-level execs to achieve their objectives is quite surprising… and gives reason for sales professionals to think twice about their reaction to trigger events such as a new person in the role of buyer or influencer.
The chart above shows that for execs new into C-level roles they take at least 30 days, and often up to 6 months to feel comfortable in their new position.
Based on that, ask yourself…
- What impact will that have on how they make decisions?
- What sort of assistance may they be seeking from potential suppliers?
- What should you focus on when you approach them?
And when it comes to determining solutions to their strategic questions, approximately 50% take over 4 months to reach that outcome.
Based on that, ask yourself…
- What time frame are you working to (from the sellers perspective) and how well does that match the clients situation?
- What are the stages the new C-level exec will go through during the 4+ months?
- How can you demonstrate value to help the new exec achieve their goals?
Avoid making the rookie mistake of rushing in to contact execs who are new in their role and expect them to be ready to immediately move on a decision.
Sure, sometimes the newcomer may need to act quickly on certain issues. So I’m not suggesting you should never make contact during their early days in the role.
But step back for a moment and consider the situation from the execs view point.
How can you be of real value to them and position yourself as someone they want to work with, rather than being perceived as just another sales person pestering them for a decision?
Image credit: Farouq Taj
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