In our last blog, we discussed the Line of Safety and some of the benefits of working on topics that are relevant to buyers who are empowered to independently solve problems at their respective companies. Most organizations are aware of the need to sell to and build relationships with high-level buyers (e.g., C-Suite Executives). Despite being aware of the criticality of this issue, organizations often struggle to get executive attention and retain it for meaningful periods of time. In this blog, we delve into why we see organizations struggle with this problem and how to fix it.
Targeting Executives is More than Adding Names to a Target List
The most common mistake that we see organizations make when trying to operate above the Line of Safety is taking an existing offer that they currently sell to lower level roles or functions (ex. Purchasing, team managers, etc.) and asking their sales team to instead target buyers above the Line of Safety with the same offers and messaging. We frequently see this with organizations where leaders are aware of the benefits of selling above the Line of Safety. Often, they become frustrated with a slow pipeline or lack of line of sight to revenue, then begin to put pressure on their sales team to work their way up an organization. While the thought process makes sense, the results are often subpar. This is because organizations are either not focused on topics relevant to executives or they are meeting executives with “With Whom to Act” messaging when they are at the “Whether to Act” stage.
Is Your Offer Relevant to Buyers Above the Line of Safety?
As we have discussed extensively in our other blogs, executive buyers go through the above three stages when determining whether or not to act on an idea. They first decide whether the idea is worth acting upon, they then decide how best to act on an idea, and finally they decide whether or not external support is needed to realize the desired outcomes. In order to get an executive’s attention, organizations must bring insightful ideas to executives on topics they care about. While this sounds simple, the reality is very few companies take the time to consider this very simple question: Is my existing portfolio of offers relevant to buyers Above the Line of Safety? Often, when we evaluate this question with organizations, their response is something along the lines of “Somewhat. We get executive attention when the deal size is large enough or when we are brought in to be a part of a larger Solution.” These “once in a blue moon” large deals lead leaders astray because they make executive attention feel attainable with their existing stand-alone offers. Instead, organizations should focus on using their internal expertise to create their own Solutions that garner executive attention and pull-through their products, rather than hoping partners or other outside organizations will do it for them.
For many organizations, the first and most challenging hurdle can be determining which problems have executive focus that can also be delivered by their organization. Given their typical operating model of working with buyers below the Line of Safety, getting any conversations Above the Line of Safety can be difficult. This leads to a struggle to define which problems are relevant to executive buyers. There is also the looming problem of actually scoping and delivering a Solution not centered around a product, which can feel daunting even for advanced software organizations. The answer here is trust in your organization and taking small steps. While everyone wants the “silver bullet” answer, not every organization has the information needed to make the right play. Instead of taking a big leap with an acquisition, a new product line, or creating an offer that your organization may not be able to deliver, organizations should begin with their Advisory and Sales teams. The intersection of these two teams, what can be sold and what can be delivered, with a focus on high level buyers can begin to create offers that allow more executive access. As you have more conversations focused on the challenges that your customers are experiencing, the answers will slowly become clear.
Conclusion
Getting your organization Above the Line of Safety is more than just targeting high level buyers. In addition to new targeting practices, organizations need to work with their teams on how to have problem/solution focused conversations, how to deliver solutions centric offers, and how to message solutions to garner the interest of buyers Above the Line of Safety. While this answer is unsatisfactory for some because of the level of effort needed to get Above the Line of Safety, the path of least resistance is rarely the best path, and the results of operating
Above the Line of Safety are well worth the effort.
Written by: Jackie McMann and Jack Draeb
Jackie McMann is a Partner at McMann & Ransford with extensive experience working with Fortune 500 clients to transform their business models, develop differentiated portfolios, and inject best practices into professional services.
Jack Draeb is a Senior Consultant with McMann & Ransford who has experience working with Fortune 1000 companies to identify issues, define solutions, guide change management, and deliver lasting results.
