If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. It’s time to learn how to think about martech solutions like a CEO.
Key Takeaways:
- You need to speak decision-makers’ language, dig into their goals and pain points, and align your solutions with their business strategy if you’re going to win them over.
- To effectively communicate your martech solution, you need to understand the problem you're trying to solve, then outline its business impacts and the consequences of not solving the problem.
- Clearly explain your martech solution, highlight its benefits, and address potential concerns or objections to increase your chances of getting the green light from decision-makers.
- Are you looking to generate some serious hype for your upcoming live event? Well, you're in luck, because event content is your secret weapon.
Are you tired of talking martech solutions to decision-makers only to be met with blank stares or polite nods? It’s time you learned to think like a CEO and win over those elusive big wigs.
Keeping up with the latest tools and technologies is non-negotiable in today's lightning-fast marketing landscape. "It’s not enough that you know the benefits of martech, however. You also have to get the higher-ups on the same page." This means speaking their language, understanding their goals and pain points, and presenting your solution in a way that aligns with their business strategy.
You’ll need to clearly define the problem you are trying to solve and the impact it has on the business so you can present your solution in a way that clearly demonstrates how it delivers measurable results.
"If you’re a marketer, you already know this framework as Problem, Agitate, Solution… and hey, it works on CEOs, too!"
Navigating the treacherous waters of decision makers can be tricky, though. That's why we'll also discuss what to do if the big wigs balk at your solution so you can anticipate objections, prep well-crafted answers, squash any doubts, and win the stamp of approval on your martech of choice.
Know your audience
It's time to dive deeper into the world of decision-makers and learn how to speak their language. To do that, you need to start by understanding who they are and what makes them tick.
First, identify your decision makers:
- Who are the people who hold the purse strings and have the power to say "yes" or "no" to your martech solutions?
- Is it the CEO, the CMO, or someone else?
Once you've figured out who you have to woo, you can start to gather intel. You have to know the decision-maker’s goals and pain points or you will get nowhere. Knowing what motivates them allows you to tailor your approach:
- Are they worried about reducing costs or improving efficiency?
- What about increasing revenue, or something else altogether?
But don't stop there! You also need to understand your decision-makers' preferred communication style:
- Do they prefer emails, phone calls, in-person meetings, or something else?
- Do they like lots of data and statistics or a more high-level overview?
Understanding their preferred communication style can help you craft your message in a way that gets their attention and keeps them listening.
"To speak the language of decision-makers, you need to know who they are, what they want, and how they want to hear it." Take the time to understand where they’re coming from and you'll be well on your way to winning them over and getting the gold star of approval on your solution.
Identify the problem
You need to understand the problem you’re trying to solve if you want to effectively communicate your martech solution to decision-makers. This means taking a deep dive into the issue to find its root cause. Get a clear understanding of the problem, then you can then start to outline its impact on the business.
Outlining the impact of the problem – whether it's a decrease in revenue, a decrease in customer satisfaction, or a decrease in employee productivity – on the business is crucial. "Be able to clearly articulate the impact of the problem to better help decision-makers understand the urgency of finding a martech solution."
That’s not all, though! You also need to point out the consequences of not solving the problem:
- What happens if the problem is left unchecked?
- Does it lead to long-term negative effects on the business?
- Does it put the company at a competitive disadvantage?
By outlining the consequences of not solving the problem, you can help decision-makers understand the risks of inaction and the importance of finding a solution. Best of all, you can position yourself as the go-to for assistance.
Reveal your martech solution
When it comes to showing the higher-ups your martech solution, don’t wing it. Set your pitch up for success by giving yourself a clear process, then stick to it during the conversation. Here’s a good basic outline for the conversation:
- Clearly explain your solution.
Don't assume that decision-makers know what your martech solution does or how it works. Use simple language and avoid jargon that might leave them feeling lost. Explain how your solution will solve the problem and how it fits into the company's existing processes. The goal here is to make sure decision-makers understand what they're getting and how it will help them.
- Highlight the benefits of your solution.
Decision-makers want to see results, so make sure you're presenting a strong case for why your solution is the best one for the job. Will it increase revenue, improve efficiency, or reduce costs? Be specific and use data and statistics to back up your claims. You want to demonstrate the value of your solution and show decision-makers that it's worth investing in.
- Address potential concerns or objections.
Anticipate what decision makers might be worried about or what objections they might have, and come up with solutions to those concerns. Address potential roadblocks upfront and you'll demonstrate that you've thought everything through and that you're a pro at problem solving.
Decision-makers like working with people they trust who can show them a solution that will make their lives easier. Having your pitch down to a science will go a long way toward giving you that credibility.
Go forward and think like a CEO
With these strategies under your belt, you'll be ready to tackle any martech conversation with decision-makers like a boss. No more blank stares or polite nods, just impressed big wigs ready to give you the green light. So go forth and conquer the world of martech!
While you’re over here thinking like a CEO, take note that a savvy one would call in content backup to keep their marketing processes streamlined and easy. (Hello, it’s us, ContentBacon!)
Just imagine what you and your team could get done if you didn’t have to handle content in-house. With ContentBacon, you get those valuable hours back, plus a fresh stream of incredible content handcrafted for you and your brand.
Let’s talk about how ContentBacon fits into your marketing strategy!
