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Who should I target my sales pitch to?

 
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Aug 01, 2008 10:48 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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I am trying to market a service (in a consultant capacity) to my former employer.  Although I worked for the company for over 12 years, I was non management and had very few contacts in mid or upper management.  This is a huge company with many layers of management and they have gone through many mergers resulting in many "shifts" in personnel.  Although I have the CEO`s email address and physical address, I am not sure if it would be appropriate to contact him.   The CEO is a lawyer and I did work with the legal department from time to time so I don`t know if that would be of value as an icebreaker of introduction..  
I truly appreciate any suggestions or advice. Thanks!
adamc

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Aug 01, 2008 3:58 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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You need to find the person who makes the decisions you are selling. (this should be easy for you to do because you worked for the company)
 
If you are looking to perfect the pitch or make yourself better at sales I suggest you pick up The Sales Bible by Jeffery Gitometer (five bucks on half.com) its extremely easy to read and it helped me.


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Motion Creates Emotion
CraigL

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Aug 02, 2008 4:27 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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Not only finding the decision-maker, but you also need to change your perception of yourself. YOU now are the CEO of your own independent company. In other words, you`re on a peer-level (if not higher) to the executive decision-maker in your particular field of expertise.

It may turn out that you wouldn`t ordinarily deal with the CEO or lead partner. It depends on whats your area of consultation. But the person you want to speak with is the person who approves the money. In very large companies, it may be that a manager makes the anlaysis of a product, vendor, or service, but that manager then has to make a presentation to a decision-making board of some sort.

If you know that you must go through the manager before anyone can even put a presentation together, then that`s your decision-maker. He or she may then ask you to help present to the approval committee or executive board.
CraigL2008-8-2 4:28:46
besthealth

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Aug 02, 2008 9:17 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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I agree with Craig - you have to begin to see yourself as the CEO and be sure to project that in all of your business introductions - a confident approach not arrogant but one that asserts that you are credible and that you are knowledgeable in the field that you represent. As a consultant, the HR (Human Resources) may be able to assist you in which direction you should take.

Here`s to a successful outcome with many more to follow!



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Take each day, mold it and make it yours.......

http://www.solutionshealthnwellness.com
Aug 02, 2008 11:03 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
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 I appreciate the feedback so far- thanks!  I am sure is a stringent approval process and evaluations of prospective consultants may be reviewed by one group and if it satisfies their criteria, then I`m sure it gets handed to a team for financial approval.  I may also mention that I do have a very good relationship with my former HR manager (low level) and maybe I should exploit that before attempting another strategy.
Thanks again and I appreciate your suggestions! 
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