Marketing to CFOs and other senior executives in the information age means providing useful data and information. These business professionals should perceive you as a solutions provider - not as a marketer looking for a sale without regard to their needs as finance and/or IT managers.
Your focus when engaging CFOs and other top managers should be on giving them the best information so they can make the best purchasing decisions. Remember, they're looking for solutions that benefit their respective organizations. Here are 7 tips for marketing to CFOs and the senior executives that report to them:
1. Understand How They Acquire Information
CFOs and other senior managers do spend time online acquiring information. They will take the time to perform research on products and services. However, they won't waste their time on sites not devoted to providing top-notch information that presents real solutions to the problems they face each day in their business.
Corporate marketers must present CFOs quality information through channels they use. They want specific information; along with online research, they will tap into the knowledge, recommendations, and analysis of their peers concerning products and services. They consider solutions and want the best product at the right time at a competitive price.
2. Understand How They Use Information
CFOs and other senior manager use information to make purchasing decisions that best fit their enterprise. They analyze information provided to them and compare this information to other information they acquire. They know when they're being supplied useful information that seeks to help them in their roles as decision makers. They also know when they're being supplied marketing hype that doesn't speak to their concerns.
3. Understand Their Motivations
CFOs and other senior managers' motivations are to make decisions that facilitate the efficient and profitable operation of the companies where they hold significant responsibilities. Their motivation is to streamline operations and control costs, while implementing initiatives, policies, and procedures that contribute to growth. The solutions a corporate marketer presents to CFOs must address these motivations.
4. Understand the Solutions They're Looking For
CFOs, and those who report to them, want solutions to budget concerns, such as ways to curtail increasing and unnecessary expenses. They want solutions to inefficiencies that hurt the bottom line. In addition, they want solutions that position the company for future robust growth. Corporate marketers must offer solutions that answer these concerns, all the while demonstrating that their product and/or service offerings are the best solution for the CFO.
5. Understand Their Need for Information and Knowledge
It's worth repeating, CFOs desire quality information and knowledge. They want information and knowledge that's precise and up-to-date. Because of the demands on their time and the quantity of information they process each day, they want you to present information to them in an organized, concise, easy-to-read format, which gets to the point quickly without superfluous material. In other words, don't waste their time.
6. Understand the Language You Must Use
CFOs and other managers want language - words - that address the problems they face. This means clear, direct language sans hype. Forget the hyperbole; give them the truth concerning what you have to offer and avoid using jargon that sounds like a sales pitch. In essence, they require information that helps them run their businesses better. Give them straightforward information that can help them perform their jobs better.
7. Understand Their ROI Needs
CFOs make purchasing decisions based on Return on Investment (ROI). They want bang for the corporate bucks they will spend. Prove to them that your product or service will deliver the results they require - and demand. Show them the data, the numbers, the case studies... whatever... that highlight the actual return they can expect through using your product or service. If you cannot answer their ROI questions, you have no business marketing to them.
Consider the above 7 tips for marketing to CFOs and other senior executives. Understand their need for relevant, quality information that helps them make buying decisions that contribute to first-rate business operations. Educate them concerning the solutions you offer; serve them to the best of your ability as partners with them in driving their businesses forward.
Michael Ugulini is a freelance copywriter from the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. He writes SEO (Search Engine Optimized) articles for small businesses, feature articles, blog posts for small businesses, newsletter content, brochure content, and web page content. In addition, he is a Watkins Consultant.
Your focus when engaging CFOs and other top managers should be on giving them the best information so they can make the best purchasing decisions. Remember, they're looking for solutions that benefit their respective organizations. Here are 7 tips for marketing to CFOs and the senior executives that report to them:
1. Understand How They Acquire Information
CFOs and other senior managers do spend time online acquiring information. They will take the time to perform research on products and services. However, they won't waste their time on sites not devoted to providing top-notch information that presents real solutions to the problems they face each day in their business.
Corporate marketers must present CFOs quality information through channels they use. They want specific information; along with online research, they will tap into the knowledge, recommendations, and analysis of their peers concerning products and services. They consider solutions and want the best product at the right time at a competitive price.
2. Understand How They Use Information
CFOs and other senior manager use information to make purchasing decisions that best fit their enterprise. They analyze information provided to them and compare this information to other information they acquire. They know when they're being supplied useful information that seeks to help them in their roles as decision makers. They also know when they're being supplied marketing hype that doesn't speak to their concerns.
3. Understand Their Motivations
CFOs and other senior managers' motivations are to make decisions that facilitate the efficient and profitable operation of the companies where they hold significant responsibilities. Their motivation is to streamline operations and control costs, while implementing initiatives, policies, and procedures that contribute to growth. The solutions a corporate marketer presents to CFOs must address these motivations.
4. Understand the Solutions They're Looking For
CFOs, and those who report to them, want solutions to budget concerns, such as ways to curtail increasing and unnecessary expenses. They want solutions to inefficiencies that hurt the bottom line. In addition, they want solutions that position the company for future robust growth. Corporate marketers must offer solutions that answer these concerns, all the while demonstrating that their product and/or service offerings are the best solution for the CFO.
5. Understand Their Need for Information and Knowledge
It's worth repeating, CFOs desire quality information and knowledge. They want information and knowledge that's precise and up-to-date. Because of the demands on their time and the quantity of information they process each day, they want you to present information to them in an organized, concise, easy-to-read format, which gets to the point quickly without superfluous material. In other words, don't waste their time.
6. Understand the Language You Must Use
CFOs and other managers want language - words - that address the problems they face. This means clear, direct language sans hype. Forget the hyperbole; give them the truth concerning what you have to offer and avoid using jargon that sounds like a sales pitch. In essence, they require information that helps them run their businesses better. Give them straightforward information that can help them perform their jobs better.
7. Understand Their ROI Needs
CFOs make purchasing decisions based on Return on Investment (ROI). They want bang for the corporate bucks they will spend. Prove to them that your product or service will deliver the results they require - and demand. Show them the data, the numbers, the case studies... whatever... that highlight the actual return they can expect through using your product or service. If you cannot answer their ROI questions, you have no business marketing to them.
Consider the above 7 tips for marketing to CFOs and other senior executives. Understand their need for relevant, quality information that helps them make buying decisions that contribute to first-rate business operations. Educate them concerning the solutions you offer; serve them to the best of your ability as partners with them in driving their businesses forward.
Michael Ugulini is a freelance copywriter from the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. He writes SEO (Search Engine Optimized) articles for small businesses, feature articles, blog posts for small businesses, newsletter content, brochure content, and web page content. In addition, he is a Watkins Consultant.
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