I’ve worked with all kinds of CEO’s and C-level teams since launching ScaleHouse in 2015. Some were amazing sales leaders and understood how to engage and convert high value prospects. Others….not so much. Although I often encourage the C-suite to get involved in sales and marketing activities, in truth this strategy can either drive, or kill, deals.
Most execs view spending time with prospects or existing customers as critical to understanding product/market fit and customer needs. This sort of engagement can have a significant impact on not only revenue, profitability and shareholder value but also ensures the company stays relevant to its core customer base.
But how can you make sure you (or your exec team) are growth champions and not loose cannons that are killing (rather than closing) deals? Neal Capon, Professor at Columbia Business School and Christoph Senn, Adjunct Professor at INSEAD, recently released research around the five types of executives that get involved in interactions with customers (whether that’s driving new revenue or increasing existing customer spend).
Read on to learn more about how you can avoid being a dreaded “loose cannon” and, instead, cultivate the skills to become a “growth champion” or “dealmaker”, which both builds relationships and drives exponentially higher revenue.