Folks, You Start At The Top, Not In The Middle!
Here’s a post from Seth Godin’s blog that 20 people have asked me to comment on by 9 am this morning! Since one isn’t able to post commentary on Seth’s blog, I’m going to reprint the item below, so that you can all consider it:
The danger of starting at the top
When making a b2b sale, the instinct is always to get into the CEO’s office. If you can just get her to hear your pitch, to understand the value, to see why she should buy from or lease from or partner with or even buy you… that’s the holy grail.
What do you think happens after that mythical meeting?
She asks her team.
And when the team is in the dark, you’ve not only blown your best shot, but you never get another chance at it.
The alternative is to start in the middle. It takes longer, it comes with less high-stakes tension and doesn’t promise instant relief. But it is better than any alternative.
Starting in the middle doesn’t mean you’re rushing around trying to close any sale with any bureaucrat stupid enough to take a meeting with you (or that you’re stupid enough to go to, thinking that a sale is going to happen.)
No, starting in the middle is more marketing than sales. It’s about storytelling and connection and substance. It’s about imagery and totems and credentials and the ability to understand and then solve the real problems your prospects and customers have every day. It’s this soft tissue that explains why big companies have so many more enterprise sales than you do.
You don’t get this reputation as an incidental byproduct of showing up. It is created with intention and it’s earned.
© Seth Godin 2012
Okay, I’m back. (I know there are a few errors above in punctuation, but I copied it as is, stuff happens.)
Seth usually talks about tribes, of course (see the “totem” reference), whereas I talk about communities. That is a major difference in our philosophies and how we approach clients and how we coach others. Seth is a very bright guy and a highly successful author, but I don’t think he’s ever really sold consulting work to corporations other than on the strength of being invited in due to his body of work.
I have, from the time I was fired in 1985 right up to the present. (Yes, I still do some corporate work, though I, too, am now invited in.)
“Starting in the middle” makes virtually zero sense, and it clearly is not only NOT “better than any alternative,” but it’s a waste of time and a miserable idea.
As professional services experts (whether consulting, coaching, design, organizing, or whatever), the most efficacious role is that of peer of the buyer. Once you enter an organization at a lower level, unless it is to rapidly find and be introduced to a true buyer, you will be perceived as a peer of that lower level—all too often human resources, or training, or learning and development.
True buyers don’t consult their teams to make strategic decisions (or the good ones don’t, at least). They are paid to make tough, quick, sometimes risky decisions. The only high level executives I’ve ever met who honestly felt the need to consult with their subordinates on one of my project proposals were weak ones, and they were rare.
An important issue here, which Seth, Marshall Goldsmith, David Maister, Malcolm Gladwell, Nassim Taleb, myself, and almost any other thought leader follows, is to create that body of work which makes you appealing to true buyers, mitigates the need to create any further credibility, and makes fees a moot point. Ultimately, all of you in this profession should be trying to create that manifest expertise that prompts senior people to call you.
You’re not going to foster that presence entering organizations in “the middle” or contenting yourself building credibility with people who CAN say “No” but CAN’T say “Yes.” It’s not a “pitch” you’re interested in, but rather a relationship.
Too many subordinate teams (which are often actually committees, with widely varying self-interests, and not teams at all) ARE in the dark.
Don’t you be, too.
© Alan Weiss 2012.
michael cardus
I stopped reading Godin’s blog only because I found myself glancing over his writing and ceasing to find value in it.
Agreed, and reading your books, and actually applying the ideas has proven very effective. Once you are able to meet the person at the top, who knows what a budget is, can supply you with the needed resources, fees and people to do the work and the organization looks to as a leader you success rate increases (you still have to do good work). Meeting with those in the middle just places you in a vendor pool of competing prices and then your differentiation is gone, and now you are seen as a ‘trainer vendor’ and the ability of what you say to be heard and actually affect the clients work is diminished.
Alan Weiss
Well said. I think Seth is terrific even when I disagree, but this particular piece of advice is unfathomably wrong, and it’s frustrating to have an opinion vehicle (blog) and not allow commentary.
Diane DiResta
I’m a fan of Seth Godin but an even bigger fan of Alan Weiss. I think Alan has the right approach on this one.
Mark S A Smith
I’m totally with you, Alan.
Start in the middle and you’re a commodity. Start at the top and your invaluable.
Unless of course, you don’t have anything new to say or can’t solve their super objective. In which case you’re in for a struggle.
John Wesey
Alan, in as much as I admire your work a lot, I also believe scenarios and cultures differ even in today’s business climate. Organizations are run under different leadership styles and cultures. I have adopted both approaches and they have worked. No doubt, it will always be better to start from the top, in many circumstances, you may have to start from the middle, especially for a young independent consultant. If you ever have worked for a mainly Chinese held large enterprise, you will understand what am saying better. Another rather crude example is when the leadership of an organization, was selected based on his tribe or religion, not on competence.
I think, like you said, having a body of work will speed your access into decision makers, however, nothing is wrong with starting from the top nor from the middle. It is a case of the how the opportunity emerges and the self esteem of the consultant.
Venus barak
Thanks for this Alan, as an avid follower of both you and Seth I was a bit stumped when I read this particular post. I learned this early in my consulting work to only target the top and has worked for me so far.
Alan Weiss
You should be a peer of the economic buyer. That’s it. Nothing controversial about that. If you choose to go “below” that person, good luck, but I’m not investing in your success!
Elijah Lim
I think you were irritated, Alan. As I read Seth’s post, I was actually wondering what you would say.
Agreed that we should always go for the top, but for newbies like me, that is not always possible at the moment. So, I penetrate whenever I find an opening, but with the top always in view. If not this one, then the next.
Mustapha B. Mugisa
If you are in the consulting business, save yourself time and go straight to the top. I need Seth’s insights for general knowledge, but Alan’s books and advise are practical, and a winner in our kind of business – consulting. Unless you’ve confidence issues as a consultant, then start in the middle or lower and go into merchandising or other business NOT consulting. Disclaimer; to start at the top, you must be good enough to speak/ engage at that level. I can’t mention the number of times, the CEO has made a couple of phone calls ‘summoning’ the respective middle managers to come to his office for an urgent issue. “Ensure that we start with Mustapha soon enough before things get out of hand with our IT system.” Now, folks, if you ever start in the middle, it might take you over 2-3 months to get that kind of statement, if you’re lucky. Alan, wins again on this! Merry Christmas and prosperous 2013.
Alan Weiss
Thanks, Mustapha!
Alan Weiss
You guys need me.
John: See this, “No doubt, it will always be better to start from the top….” That’s what you just said. Seth said, “there is no alternative to starting in the middle.” I’m not sure what you’re defending, he wasn’t talking about cultural differences, but every day practice. And NEVER assume I have or have not done something, a VERY bad step for any consultant.
Elijah: I’m not irritated, I’m trying to protect you from lousy advice. NEVER call yourself a “newbie” and it’s even more important that you start with the right habits, not tell yourself you’re not good enough to do it right. You have the wrong philosophy.
Both of you: My profession is helping consultants globally to rapidly add value to their clients, close new business, and grow their own. Seth’s is not. On this one critical issue, you can do what you want, but at least I tried to set you straight!
Tim Wilson
Alan,
I think both John and Elijah missed an important part of your post; “true buyers don’t consultant their teams to make strategic decisions.” The operative part is true buyers.
In your book How to Acquire Client Powerful Techniques for the Successful Practitioner, you define the economic buyer “as the person who can write a check without anyone else’s approval (that is, who has his or her own budget and discretion) for the value that you are providing. I often call this person the “true buyer.”
By using this as a measurement to develop a mindset that you look to deal only with those who meet the criteria of a true buyer, you narrow your field of prospects to those who you know you can bring value to, and those who can pay for it. By default, you’re dealing with those at the top of their organization.
Alan Weiss
Correct, and you don’t stand much chance of impressing them when you’ve been dealing with their subordinates.
Mark Richards
I am usually in vehement agreement with you Alan. But not on this point.
In both Seth’s argument and your counter, where you start the sales process is completely dependent on what you are selling. Only ego would dictate that you always start at the top. It is often the worst place to start.
If you are selling high level consulting to a company where the primary goal is to influence the CEO, then yes, start at the top. But for most products and services, including many consulting gigs, starting at the top ends up being a more difficult route and here is why.
Most purchasing decisions in companies are not made by the CEO. Sure, she has some influence on the process and this is the hope that people in the “selling” mode cling to. But it is very inefficient. The CEO is often difficult to get to and in many case clueless about the problem your product or service solves.
When prospecting, your primary goal should be to quickly find out who makes the decision to buy what you are selling and then efficiently and effectively determine if they need or want what you have to offer.
I find that most salespeople (and especially consultants selling their services), waste too much time and energy on low probability prospects. They often burn out long before they see the success they deserve. How many times have you labored over a detailed proposal only to have it languish on the desk of your prospect forever?
Why did that happen? Because you did a lousy job of disqualifying the prospect who really did not need or want what you were offering. Your hope for a sale clouded your judgment and you ended up wasting a bunch of time chasing hope. Like a dog chasing its tail, this is pretty dumb, unrewarding, and unnecessary.
My advice? Learn how to sell effectively and go after exactly the right person in the organization that can give you the order. Whether at the top, the middle or the bottom, don’t let your ego get in the way of a fat purchase order.
(hint: If the check from GE clears, does it matter who in the organization you got the deal from?)
Alan Weiss
You aren’t familiar with my work, and it’s not dependent on what you’re selling, since my point is professional consulting services.
My position is that you sell to economic buyers. In GE, or Boeing, or Merck, there are scores of economic buyers. That’s “the top.” I worked for years at GE and never sold to Jack Welch, though I met him. The economic buyer is that person who can sign a check, rarely the CEO. But also, virtually never the HR person or a middle manager.
OF COURSE purchasing of most consulting services is not made by the CEO (although some are). What’s your point? You start with the true buyer, not below that. That’s MY point.