Selling to the C-Suite, Second Edition

“The business world is drowning in a flood of sales books. The trouble is that most of these books are about how to sell, without a clue about how customers buy, and so they do more harm than good. This book is different. It is firmly rooted in how people buy, and so it works. And an added bonus that particularly appeals to me: the book is based on research, which makes it rare and welcome.”

—Neil Rackham, author of SPIN Selling and seminal thinker on sales effectiveness

“As an educator on the college level teaching professional selling, I found this book to be invaluable if you are interested in learning how to sell to the top executives. Not only does it help you understand when to engage the executive, it also tells you how to get access. If that was not enough, the book also focuses on how to create value and build credibility with the executives. It is a must read for anyone who interacts with top executives.”

—Dan C. Weilbaker, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Sales, Northern Illinois University

“This book is like a one- day MBA in Selling to Executives. A must read for sales professionals—both new and experienced—who want to get better at their craft.”

—Tom Martin, President, Strategy 2 Revenue, and former President of North America, Miller Heiman, Inc.

“Sales professionals who align with key executive decision makers early in the sales process have a higher win rate and make more money than their peers. Steve and Nic have meticulously researched and distilled the best practices that distinguish the salespeople who can sell at the executive level and are seen as Trusted Advisors. Credibility is the foundation of being a Trusted Advisor. Selling to the C-Suite lays out when and how to access executives, as well as how to establish credibility and value.”

—Bill Walden, Worldwide Sales Operations, HP Software

“If Sun Tzu lived today, he would write this book. Chinese executives seek

relationships to help their personal agenda and reduce their risk. Selling to the C-Suite is full of sage advice from two master practitioners on how to become a ‘relationship master,’ but most importantly, it is based on the executive’s view. We were honored to partner in China on the research project, and this book brings those secrets to life in exciting ways.”

—Anne An , Director Marketing, Tsinghua SEM, and former manager of the Hewlett- Packard Business School, Beijing, China

“A straightforward, pragmatic approach on how to gain and retain access to the executive level. Those new to executive sales will find a game plan they can use immediately. Veterans who regularly call on executives will use this book to sharpen their game.”

—Chip Brubaker, Global Head of Sales Enablement Delivery, Ericsson

“Too many salespeople have no idea if they’re winning or losing, and it’s usually because they’re meeting the wrong people and asking the wrong questions too low down the food chain. As a result, their sales forecasts are no better than a lottery. This book pulls no punches in showing why sales and marketing fails to connect to executives, and what to do about it.”

—Gordon Clubb, Managing Director, Genesys Australia & New Zealand

“I finished this book in one sitting; it is easy to read, and I was very impressed. It holds practical advice on how to get to the decision makers in the context of sales, but also applies in many other situations where the objective is influence. Having learned these lessons the hard way while transforming a Chinese state-owned enterprise into a globally competitive business, I wish this book had been available when I first started!”

—Geoff Watson, former General Manager, Alcoa Bohai Aluminum Industries, China

“Nic Read and Dr. Bistritz show us how to reach out to executives using ideas from those executives. It’s proven, and it works.”

—Andy Sim, Head of Networking Business, Asia Pacific Japan, Dell EMC

“We hear a lot about being a Trusted Advisor, but what does that really mean? The authors clearly define that role with the insight, definition, and actions required to establish and sustain credible value- based engagements with senior executives. If your success depends on being engaged early in your customer’s decision process and you’re in a market that demands value-based differentiation, then this is a must read.”

—Gary Summy, President, Move the Needle, LLC and Former Director of the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA)