Executives are the Simon Cowell of the business world: impatient, critical, often caustic. But they're also desperately searching for talent. How do you make the right impression? These 5 tips will get you started
6. EXECS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR TALENT
âI would sayâŠyou have
SOME potential.â
in fact
MOST OF AN EXECâS WORK
GETS DONE THROUGH
THE PEOPLE THEY HIRE
7. AN EXECâS SUCCESS DEPENDS ON
SURROUNDING THEMSELVES WITH
PEOPLE THEY CAN TRUST
PEOPLE WHO WILL HIT DEADLINES
PEOPLE WHO CAN AVOID MAJOR PROBLEMS
8. AND THEY JUDGE YOU BY
HOW YOU PRESENT
CAN YOU HANDLE PRESSURE?
DO YOU KNOW YOUR BUSINESS?
ARE YOU AUTHORITATIVE?
ARE YOU CREDIBLE?
ARE YOU TRUSTWORTHY?
9. IF YOUâRE THAT KIND OF PERSON,
âI could see you in the
recording studio
TOMORROW!â
YOU CAN COUNT ON THE
EXECâS FULL SUPPORT
10. HEREâS 5 TIPS
TO HELP YOU NAIL YOUR NEXT
EXECUTIVE PRESENTATION
âLetâs see what youâve got.
When youâre readyâŠâ
16. âIâm here to present our
marketing plan. Now, as you can
see from this SWOT Analysis, our
strengths are in technical support
and integration with existing
infrastructure. Our weaknesses are
in perceived cost and perceived
technology lock-in.
Next slide please.
Awareness is trending up over the
past four quarters, butâŠ
âSTOP!â
17. IN FACT, HEREâS AN IDEA FOR YOU
AFTER YOUâVE SPOKEN FOR A FEW MINUTES,
STOP AND ASK THEM A QUESTION
18. âIâm here to present our
marketing plan. With this plan,
weâll increase sales by 15% over
the next 4 quartersâŠâ
19. âIâm here to present our
marketing plan. With this plan,
weâll increase sales by 15% over
the next 4 quartersâŠâ
âDo you think weâre being
aggressive enough?â
âActually, I was just going to
suggestâŠâ
20. âIâm here to present our
marketing plan. With this plan,
weâll increase sales by 15% over
the next 4 quartersâŠâ
âDo you think weâre being
aggressive enough?â
âActually, I was just going to
suggestâŠâ
21. QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK
âIs this how youâd define success?â
âHow important is this market to
our long term strategy?â
âDo you agree weâve prioritized
our opportunities correctly?â
23. EXECUTIVES LIVE IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE
THE FUTURE
âHow can we turn this multi-
million dollar company into a
multi-BILLION dollar company?â
24. THEY ARE ALWAYS THINKING
3 YEARS AHEAD
HOW DO WE GROW?
HOW DO WE BEAT COMPETITORS?
HOW DO WE DEFEND PREMIUM MARGINS?
25. THEY ARE ALWAYS THINKING
ABOUT 3 YEARS FORWARD
HOW DO WE GROW?
HOW DO WE BEAT COMPETITORS?
HOW DO WE DEFEND PREMIUM MARGINS?
26. THEY ARE ALWAYS THINKING
ABOUT 3 YEARS FORWARD
HOW DO WE GROW?
HOW DO WE BEAT COMPETITORS?
HOW DO WE DEFEND PREMIUM MARGINS?
27. SO DONâT FOCUS ON
PROBLEMS AFFECTING YOU TODAY
âCustomer satisfaction is down
about 3% this quarter.â
âTedâs team is supposed to be
working on that.â
28. FOCUS ON PROBLEMS THAT WILL AFFECT
THEM OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS
AND HOW THEYâLL WIN IN THE MARKETPLACE
âCustomer satisfaction is down
about 3% this quarter.â
âIf weâre going to grow 15% over
the next three years, we need to
hold onto our existing customers.â
âI agree. What do you
recommend?â
29. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP THEM
SELL FASTER?
RETAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS?
CAPTURE NEW CUSTOMERS?
INCREASE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?
REACH NEW MARKETS?
DEFEND HIGHER MARGINS?
TAKE THE COMPETITORâS CUSTOMERS?
FIND NEW DISTRIBUTORS?
CREATE DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCTS?
30. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP THEM
SELL FASTER?
RETAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS?
CAPTURE NEW CUSTOMERS?
INCREASE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?
REACH NEW MARKETS?
DEFEND HIGHER MARGINS?
TAKE THE COMPETITORâS CUSTOMERS?
FIND NEW DISTRIBUTORS?
CREATE DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCTS?
NOT JUST SOLVE TODAYâS PROBLEMS
31. #3 SELL A VISION BEFORE DISCUSSING
THE DETAILS
32. NEW PRESENTERS MAKE A BIG MISTAKE
THEY ARE IN A HURRY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
THEY WANT TO DO BEFORE THE EXEC IS
BOUGHT INTO THE VISION
âWe need to invest $1 million in a
big public relations push.â
âOne million?
Thatâs a lot of money.â
33. EXECS ARE BIG PICTURE PEOPLE
THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY BEFORE
GETTING TO THE DETAILS
âYes. Shudder Chapstick is the
agency of record. They arenât
cheap.â
âWhat about WBBC? Theyâd
probably do it for half.â
34. INSTEAD, FOCUS ON GETTING THE EXEC
NODDING AT THE VISION
THEN MOVE INTO THE DETAILS
35. âThe press is ripping us apart. Our
sales guys say itâs really slowing
the sales cycle.â
âSo what are we going to
do about it?â
âWe need to get some of the key
papers on our side. Like the Wall
Street Journal and USA Today.â
âGood thought.â
âWeâve found an agency with
good contacts at both papers. We
can probably have features
printed within 4 weeks.â
36. NOW THE EXEC IS READY TO
MOVE INTO THE DETAILS
âWeâve found an agency with
good contacts at both papers. We
can probably have features
printed within 4 weeks.â
âDO IT! GO!â
38. EXECS ARE SMART PEOPLE
THEY RESPECT DATA
âYou have the most votesâŠâ
39. EXECS ARE SMART PEOPLE
THEY RESPECT DATA
BUT THEY TRUST THEIR GUT
âBut I think weâve learned that
having the most votes does NOT
guarantee a big career.â
40. THEY KNOW DATA IS OFTEN INCORRECT,
INCOMPLETE OR EVEN BIASED
SO THEY LISTEN TO THEIR OWN INSTINCTS
WHEN MAKING BIG STRATEGIC DECISIONS
41. THEY KNOW DATA IS OFTEN INCORRECT,
INCOMPLETE OR EVEN BIASED
SO THEY LISTEN TO THEIR OWN INSTINCTS
WHEN MAKING BIG STRATEGIC DECISIONS
âWhat are CUSTOMERS saying?â
42. THEY KNOW DATA IS OFTEN INCORRECT,
INCOMPLETE OR EVEN BIASED
SO THEY LISTEN TO THEIR OWN INSTINCTS
WHEN MAKING BIG STRATEGIC DECISIONS
âWhat are CUSTOMERS saying?â
âWhat are COMPETITORS doing?â
43. THEY KNOW DATA IS OFTEN INCORRECT,
INCOMPLETE OR EVEN BIASED
SO THEY LISTEN TO THEIR OWN INSTINCTS
WHEN MAKING BIG STRATEGIC DECISIONS
âWhat are CUSTOMERS saying?â
âWhat are COMPETITORS doing?â
âWhat do our LARGEST PARTNERS think?â
44. SO LEAD WITH STORIES THAT
APPEAL TO GUT INSTINCTS
âOur biggest partner is getting
into this space.â
âI know Al. Heâs a smart guy.â
45. SO LEAD WITH STORIES THAT
APPEAL TO GUT INSTINCTS
âOur biggest partner is getting
into this space.â
âI know Al. Heâs a smart guy.â
USE DATA TO BACK IT UP
âThis study shows customer
interest is increasing.â
âMaybe we need to be
doing something here.â
46. #5 DONâT BE AFRAID OF EXECUTIVES.
BE AFRAID FOR THEM
47. ITâS COMMON TO BE
AFRAID OF EXECS
âIâm not MEAN,
Iâm just HONEST.â
THEREâS EVEN A TERM
FOR IT: EXECUPHOBIA
48. BUT DONâT LET EXECS INTIMIDATE YOU
AND RATTLE YOUR PRESENTATION
49. BUT DONâT LET EXECS INTIMIDATE YOU
AND RATTLE YOUR PRESENTATION
INSTEAD, BE AFRAID FOR THEM
50. BUT DONâT LET EXECS INTIMIDATE YOU
AND RATTLE YOUR PRESENTATION
INSTEAD, BE AFRAID FOR THEM
AND SHOW HOW YOUR
PROJECT CAN PROTECT THEM
FROM THE THINGS THEY FEAR
51. BELIEVE IT OR NOT
EXECS HAVE A LOT TO FEAR
FEAR OF FAILURE
FEAR OF DEMOTION
FEAR OF LEGAL ACTION
FEAR OF EMBARASSMENT
FEAR OF EMPLOYEE LEAKS
FEAR OF BAD INVESTMENTS
FEAR OF LOSS OF REPUTATION
FEAR OF A TEAM MEMBER SCREWING UP
53. YES, ITâS EASY TO BE AFRAID OF EXECS
BUT KEEP THEIR FEARS TOP OF MIND
AND SHOW HOW YOUR PROJECT WILL
HELP TAKE THOSE FEARS AWAY
54. YES, ITâS EASY TO BE AFRAID OF EXECS
BUT KEEP THEIR FEARS TOP OF MIND
AND SHOW HOW YOUR PROJECT WILL
HELP TAKE THOSE FEARS AWAY
THIS MINDSET WILL
REDUCE YOUR OWN ANXIETY
56. SUMMARY
5 TIPS FOR PRESENTING TO EXECUTIVES
#1 GET TO THE POINT IN ONE MINUTE
#2 TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS WINNING IN THE MARKETPLACE
#3 SELL A VISION BEFORE DISCUSSING THE DETAILS
tips for presenting to
#4 LEAD WITH STORIES, NOT DATA
EXECUTIVES
#5 DONâT BE AFRAID OF EXECUTIVES. BE AFRAID FOR THEM
57. NOWâŠ
GO NAIL YOUR NEXT EXEC PRESENTATION!
tips for presenting to
EXECUTIVES
58. NOWâŠ
GO NAIL YOUR NEXT EXEC PRESENTATION!
tips for presenting to
EXECUTIVES
âThat was
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!â