When the Customer is a CIO

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When the Customer is a CIO

• Stuart Robbins
• Founder and Executive Director
• The CIO Collective
• http//www.cio-collective.com

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Introducing the CIO Collective

• The CIO Collective is a non-profit association of
  senior IT executives providing strategic guidance
  to emerging businesses and initiatives.
• Formed in 1999, with more than 75 associates
  throughout the United States, we offer advice to
  Federal CIOs and venture capital firms, counsel
  financial institutions on IT spending trends, and
  executives of startup companies on product
  development and market positioning.
• Our membership includes executives from The World
  Bank Group, Cisco Systems, Symantec, Credit
  Suisse First Boston, Yahoo, Documentum/EMC,
  Ticketmaster, etc.
• For more information, see www.cio-collective.com.
  

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Six Rules for Selling to CIOs

• Overview
• Always Tell the Truth. Always.
• Pay Attention to the Relationship
• Know thy Customer, Know Thyself
• Start Small, and Build Credibility
• Service, Service, Service
• Listen to the Donts

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Rule 1 Always Tell the Truth. Always.

• Trust is more important than functionality or
  money.
• We would rather hear about limitations, bugs, or
  errors
• from you then from our end-users.
• If you know of problems and do not disclose them,
• it is an unforgiveable breech.
• If you do not know the answer to our questions,
• say I dont know rather then pretending.

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Rule 2 Pay attention to the Relationship

• Trust, Trust, Trust.
• Behave as if we are mission-critical partners at
  all times.
• Spend time getting to know us.
• Listen to our problems, and speak directly to
  them.
• Help us solve our problems, rather than yours.
• Call us after the sale, or for reasons other than
  sales.

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Rule 3 Know Thy Customer

• Get to know our business, and our business
  problems.
• Clarify how your solutions fit those problems,
• and be honest if they do not.
• Provide credible, meaningful references.
• Follow-up.
• Track your customer information dont ask us
  twice.
• If the account is handed to someone else, spend
• time transitioning us.

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Rule 4 Start Small, and Build Credibility

• We have heard every promise and every promotion
• before, so be prepared to prove everything.
• Keys to credibility
• References
• Prototypes
• Honest communications throughout
• Begin with low-cost or no-cost projects (these
  will
• become much more lucrative in the long run)

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Rule 5 Service, Service, Service

• IT professionals understand that ALL jobs are
  service-
• oriented, so provide exceptional service from
  Day One.
• Do what you say you are going to do.
• Check in with us, just to see how things are
  going
• Call back, just to say Im working on it
• Provide this service for our employees and
  managers,
• not just for C-level executives.
• Communicate constantly before, during, and AFTER
• the sale.

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Rule 6 Listen to the Donts

• Do Not
• Rely upon cold sales calls we never return
  them.
• Sell directly into the business units and
  expect our
• cooperation.
• Go around the IT organization (CEO/CFO) to
  force
• the sale.
• Offer a high first estimate so that you can
  appear to be
• later compromising on price, or pretend to offer
  great
• end-of-quarter savings.
• Over-estimate benefits, savings, or
  functionality.
• Say we can do that if you cannot.