Reaching the Top:
Marketing to the C-Suite
Mark Bonchek
CMO Club Coach on
Executive Engagement
Successful marketing
to the C-suite is more
important than ever
Decisions once made
at a lower level have
elevated to the C-Suite
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But the air gets thin at the C-level
Executives are
• Busy
• Sophisticated
• Demanding3
Companies
often fail as they
climb higher in
the organization
• Can’t get there
• Nothing to say
• Don’t stay there
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But those who
reach the top
reap the rewards
• Brand equity
• Customer advocacy
• Bigger deal size
• Shorter sales cycle
• Share of wallet
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How can you successfully
reach the C-Suite?
1. Acclimate to higher altitude
2. Plan your route to the summit
3. Get the right gear
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1. Acclimate to Higher Altitude
Understand how
executives work
and think
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What distinguishes Climbers?
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What makes
Executives
stand apart?
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Think
• See connections
others don't
• Sort the relevant
from the irrelevant
• Move from general to
specific and back
• Build mental models
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Work • See a longer time horizon
• Build personal networks
• Communicate verbally
• Advance an agenda
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Decide
• Mix analysis and intuition
• Draw on lessons learned
• Make inferences from limited
information
• Adapt to changing circumstances
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DO
• Help them
o Advance their agenda
o Refine their mental models
o Justify their intuition
o Grow their network
• Share lessons learned
• Focus on conversation
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DON’T
• Make them read
too much or listen
too long
• Be only detailed, or
only conceptual
• Have “The Answer”
• Gloss over the hard
parts
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2. Plan Your Route to the Summit
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Vendors
Team
Peers
CFO
CEO
Elevating the Conversation
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Vendors
Peers
CFO
CEO
Making it to the Top
Competitiveness
Profitability
Career
Performance
Customer Value
Most companies stop at
“base camp” – the direct
conversations they have
with buyers.
To go higher, enable the
conversations they want
to have with others.
Team
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Vendors
Peers
CFO
CEO
Example: IBM and the CIO
End-to-End View
Business Value of IT
Leadership
More with Less
Global Enterprise
TeamBoard of Advisors
Mid-Market Advisory Network
CIO Leadership Exchange
Center for CIO Leadership
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3. Equip yourself with the
right tools
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The Standard Toolkit
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Leading Edge
Councils
Advice > Satisfaction
Content
Stories > Testimonials
Events
Conversation > Presentation
Communities
Profession > Products21
Where do your strengths
intersect their interests?
What you know. Who you know.What you value.
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Climbing is, above all,
a matter of integrity
Gaston Rébuffat
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How Can You Leverage Existing
Executive Relationships?
• As Consultants
– On your Advisory Councils
• As Thought Leaders
– In your Content
– At your Events
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A Thought Experiment
If you were a …
• Consulting Firm What would you advise?
• Conference Organizer Who would you convene?
• Media Company What would you publish?
• Business SchoolWhat would you teach?
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Connections
Mark S. Bonchek, Ph.D.Chief Strategist, Soundbridge Group
& Founder, Truman Company
Twitter: mbonchek
978-405-1710
“Marketing to the C-Suite” Breakfast Salon on June 11 in Boston, MA
www.EngagingExecutives.com
www.TrumanCompany.com
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