We all hit a point in our career where we start interacting with C-level execs more often. But we don't really know how to operate at an exec-level yet.
So a lot of us (myself included) do this weird thing:
We stop acting like ourselves, and we start talking in long sentences, with big words.
Like we’re on some BBC TV show about the 1800’s.
(This is semi-embarrassing to admit... but a CRO, whose third language is English, recently stopped a meeting between him, me, and his CEO because I used the word “analogous,” and he told me straight up, “I have no idea what you’re trying to say.” I was under-prepared for the meeting, talking fast, and trying to compensate for it.)
We make things overly complex because it seems like what we bring up to the "top" has to match the “weight” of a big title.
But that’s the opposite of how executives operate.
Complexity is a weight, but weights sink to the bottom. Simplicity floats to the top. And it's the mark of seasoned sellers and operators:
People who understand a topic so well, they can communicate it with short soundbites, not slides.
Like tree sap becoming maple syrup, the outcome’s distilled, sweet, and leaves you asking for more.
While I can’t hand you a few decades of operating experience, what I can do is give you a few frameworks to help you think and talk at an exec level, by first writing for execs.
The 1-Page Business Case
Every framework in this write-up rises and falls on this business case.
Start this one first, and you’ll have the ingredients you need for every other:
Why start here?
Because it compresses all your discovery with the buying team, and the customer’s full buying journey, into 1 page that:
- Preps your own executives for customer conversations.
- Enables your champion to engage their own execs.
Example: check out how Chris, VP Sales at Idelic, and his team prepped their own founder on a flight to a customer on-site using this framework.
And used it to win the largest deal in their company’s history.
Here’s more on how to write this one, using Fluint to generate the first draft:
There’s another, 3-part framework I’ve been using lately too:
A classic consulting-style executive summary called the “SCR Framework.” Which you can dig into here.
^this has a detailed write-up available, so I’ll leave it at that in this post.
By the way, if you lead a sales team or run enablement/RevOps, and are curious to embed this approach into your process, let’s chat:
Pre-Meeting Prep Framework for Executives
By default, our own execs are underprepared to join our customer meetings. Which is actually our fault as sellers. Not theirs.
So when you need to focus their input in a specific direction, to drive toward a certain set of meeting outcomes, use this pre-meeting brief.
Which also helps align your full internal team:
- Executives
- Sales Engineers
- CS / Implementation
- Finance / Legal
Pro tip: attach this to a separate calendar invite with your prep notes, alongside the customer invite.
And, here’s how Samantha’s been using Fluint to enable this for her team.
By the way, if you’re an AE wanting to work like Samantha, check out Fluint’s monthly plan:
Three Exec-Level Email Frameworks
A current Fluint customer’s been working to cross-sell Home Depot, and it’s turning into a highly-competitive deal.
So last month, the AE and VP Sales on the account wrote up a “forwardable” email for their CEO to send, and thread in the Home Depot CEO.
They sent me their first draft, “Nate can you look at this?”
It was about 2 pages printed out.
So, I fed it as context into the Exec-Level Email framework inside Fluint, made some slight edits, and sent it over.
“Here, try this.”
… a few days later? “We got the intro!”
Here’s a set of 3 emails to use:
Initial, Exec-Level Intro Email
Use this when you’re working to reach out early inside deals, to generate more upfront momentum:
< First Name >, our teams have been working on < priority area >.
Building a plan to hit < exec-level goal > by < timing >.
I was just looking at their write-up, and had a thought to run by you.
Plus, it’d be good to connect on < shared interest/connection>, too.
Let me know when works to catch up on this?
Some pro-tips for using this:
- Ask your exec's assistant for an example email.
- Adapt this email to match their tone/style.
- Send the email to your exec to copy/send, and CC: their EA on it. To make sure it goes out on time.
Troubleshooting Deals Mid-Funnel
When I shared this email out recently, Tom Lowe shared an email framework he uses with his execs. It’s great for mid-funnel slow-down’s:
< Exec >,
I'm <title> at <your company> — our teams are collaborating on <workstream> to help with <strategic goal>.
I’m a little concerned we're <not taking account of x / not aligned on y / missing other areas of importance>.
Let me know your availability for us to discuss?
It’s direct, and to the point.
No-Reply Required Follow-Up
Here's a 4-sentence email buying team execs love. Try sharing this in the mid-funnel, to keep a small slice of mindshare.
Especially during longer or more complex cycles > 90 days.
You can literally write inside it, "no reply needed." (Execs like to be in the know, but without the burden of an 'ask'.)
Subject: Update, < Internal Priority >
< Executive >, we're making good progress on < priority / problem area >.
Surprisingly, <interesting finding / discovery you made with their team>.
We also have <shared activity> planned this week, will update you after.
Couple notes overall to keep in mind, too:
- Execs typically read your emails during other meetings. Or, during early morning and late night workblocks.
- So if you have something longer (e.g. a 1-page exec summary), try sending in the off hours. The chance it's read goes up.
- Schedule for 5:30am or 8pm.
- If you’re sending something mid-day, keep it to ~4 sentences. Again, they’ll read it while multitasking.
- Even better, write your champions a forwardable email and have them send it, CC'ing you. Execs prioritize internal senders over external senders.
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