How to Reach More CEOs (and other senior executives)

I have a good friend who was frustrated at his lack of success when he was cold calling CEOs.  It didn’t seem to matter how many calls he made, he just wasn’t having success getting them on the phone.  He asked me for some advice, so I was happy to oblige. I shared one idea with him, and within a week he had spoken with more CEOs than all of his colleagues combined. 

If you have a product or service that can only be sold to the CEO (like my friend), then this idea can work for you too.  It’s so simple that I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t do it. 

It’s all about when you call them.  CEOs often come to work early and leave late. After I passed along this advice to my friend, he started cold-calling at 7:00am, and ended the day by spending an extra hour in the office and making calls after 5:00pm.  Every single one of the CEOs that he reached picked-up their phone when he called before and after hours. 

Here’s why:   At the close of the business day, the receptionist puts the phone system on night-ring.  With night-ring activated there is a very high likelihood that the voice mail system will provide an automated greeting with an option to reach an individual by dialing their first or last name.  Punch in the CEO’s name and presto!  Your call is connected to his/her desk.   No gatekeepers involved!

If the prospect’s phone system doesn’t have a dial-by-name option, save that call for normal business hours.

This advice is effective for reaching CEOs and just about any senior business executive. They are often the first to show up for work and among the last to leave.   And, these folks often spend Saturday morning at the office.  Try spending a quiet Saturday morning calling CEOs.  You might be surprised how many you reach.  Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

If you like this blog, then be sure to check out my books!  You can find out more on the right-hand side of the page.  Happy selling!

The Rizzuti Five

I don't know much about the advertising industry, but I do know that agencies have had to reinvent themselves many times over the past twenty or so years. That, or they are one of the many bankrupt ad agencies littering the landscape. One of the wily veterans of the industry who has found a way to reinvent himself over and over is John Rizzuti.

John sub-leased space to my partner and me when we started our first company, Launch Associates. His advertising agency was called Rizzuti.com at the time - a reinvention of his prior firm. I got to know John fairly well, and what I came to like about him most is that John is a survivor. He's an entrepreneur who has seen the best and worst of times in the ad business. And, he's a salesman's salesman. He can recite Alec Baldwin's famous scene in Glengarry Glen Ross by heart. And he believes in the message.

One day I was packing up after a long day of cold-calling prospects. I was just about to leave when John stopped-by to say good night. He asked me what was up and I told him that I was headed home. He looked at me and gave me a big grin, held out his hand as if to show all five fingers and said, "Make five more calls". At this point in the day I was totally exhausted. Making five more calls was the very last thing I wanted to do. And it was approaching six o'clock.

I just rolled my eyes and laughed and kept packing my stuff, letting John know that I was done for the day. "Done-zo" as my kids would say. I don't remember his exact response, but it was something about being dedicated. He knew that we were just starting out and that we needed every break we could get. He challenged me to make "just five more calls" even after I had packed up. He was basically calling me a sissy if I didn't.

So I put my stuff down, flipped my computer back on, and made five more calls. And then it hit me. It wasn't so much about making five more calls as it was about going the extra mile to be successful. John had learned the hard way that if you're going to succeed, you don't pack up your gear at 5:00 and call it a day. You make five more calls.

I've referred to the "Rizzuti Five" many times since then. I have challenged reps to make those five extra calls when they think that they're done for the day. Some have grasped the concept and gone one to do great things; others have just laughed it off and gone home. Back to being mediocre.

My challenge to you is to make the "Rizzuti Five" part of your weekly plan. Consider a day where you can do something extra to give you an edge. If your routine has you packing up at 5:00, go ahead and pack up. Then grab the phone and make another five calls. You'll be outside your comfort zone, but you'll find the process exhilarating and it will motivate you to do even more. And, when you're done, do the math. If you make the Rizzuti Five a weekly occurence over 50 weeks, that's 250 extra calls you've made in the year. That could be the difference between hitting your number or not.

I look back fondly at my experience with John and Rizzuti.com. I'm grateful to John for the generous use of his space and his friendship. But I'm more grateful for the Rizzuti Five.