WHAT DO C-LEVEL EXECUTIVES CARE ABOUT?
There are many techniques for gaining access to top executives, but none is foolproof. Try these: • Go where executives congregate outside work. Charity events and industry trade shows are usually rife with top managers. • If you’ve been successful at penetrating the executive suite at one company, ask your customer for referrals to other top managers in other firms. • It is sometimes possible to be referred up the organizational ladder, but this needs to be handled with tact. If a lower-level manager perceives your request to meet with a higher-up as an implication that he or she doesn’t hold enough knowledge or power, the attempt will likely fail. But if what you’re offering truly impacts a company’s long-term goals and/or you need information only a top manager can provide, lower-level employees will usually agree to refer you to higher-level contacts. • Make your first contact with an organization at the very top: the CEO’s office. Chances are, you will be referred down in the orga
