How to Book More Meetings with B2B Executives: A Consultative Sales Approach
As a sales rep or account executive in B2B sales, your main goal is to get meetings with the key decision-makers at other companies.
However, many common sales tactics actually push these buyers away instead of attracting them.
The reality is that people want to feel they make their own choices about purchasing.
They just don't want to be sold.
They prefer to drive the buying process themselves.
So here are the best and proven strategies to increase your chances of booking meetings with executives by taking a consultative, value-focused approach:
Outreach Mistakes that Turn Off B2B Executives
Sending Long Product Pitches
Bombarding prospects with in-depth product or service details is a surefire way to lose their interest early on.
Decision makers don't care about your offering initially.
Boasting About Company Achievements
Bragging about your product features, number of customers or awards won't impress executives.
They want to know specifically how you can solve their business problems.
Sharing Generic Customer Testimonials
While customer reviews are impactful later, they likely won't move the needle in initial outreach.
Leaders want to understand exactly how your solution uniquely benefits their situation.
Inviting Them to Events
Executives constantly receive event invitations and requests for their time.
Offering them an event spot comes across as more of an annoyance than an opportunity.
Attempting Insincere Flattery
Praising a prospect's recent posts or articles seems manipulative.
Savvy decision makers can see through these transparent tactics.
Bonding Over Shared Interests
Trying to connect over things like sports teams or alma maters as an initial tactic is unlikely to resonate with busy executives.
The Consultative Sales Approach to Book Executive Meetings
Instead of these mistakes, focus your outreach on genuinely demonstrating you understand the decision-maker's challenges and priorities.
Here is a proven consultative selling approach to increase your chances of booking executive meetings:
Provide Value First
Allow prospects to freely consume your content across channels by providing a steady stream of valuable information.
Don't force gated sign-ups or use aggressive sales tactics.
For example, in our recent blog post "Kickstart Your Sales Career: Top Training Resources Revealed," we shared a comprehensive list of free and paid sales training resources for beginners, including books, online courses, podcasts, and learning platforms.
Offering this type of educational and actionable content upfront demonstrates your expertise and builds trust with potential buyers.
Build Credibility and Trust
Share examples of solving similar problems for others, especially in their industry.
This builds credibility.
You can also showcase your industry knowledge through educational resources like the sales training compilation we published.
Offer to connect them with your current customers who can vouch for your solution.
Position Yourself as a Consultant
Focus on solving their complex problems, not just selling your product.
Commit resources to educate them on addressing their top priorities for free, with no strings attached.
This consultative behavior builds trust.
Understand Their Core Motivations
B2B buyers are often driven by emotional factors like making their lives easier, looking good, ensuring job security, and trusting you can deliver.
Demonstrate you understand their key business challenges.
Offer a Tailored Solution:
After validating their pain points, craft outreach tailored to how you can assist in addressing those specific issues.
Share slide decks and a proposed solution.
Make Commitments Upfront:
Before any meeting, promise:
you won't use the time for a sales pitch,
you won't just qualify them for future sales,
you'll help them regardless of purchase.
Show Respect for Their Time:
Have senior team members join calls to demonstrate you value the prospect's time and position.
Engage and Provide Next Steps:
Ask open-ended questions during presentations and provide relevant follow-up resources.
Here’s a great book that will help you nail the process.
And That’s It
Following this consultative sales approach provides value and differentiates you, increasing your chances of securing executive meetings.
Even if they don't buy immediately, you build an important connection for future opportunities.
Executives will engage with salespeople providing upfront value, building credibility, and genuinely understanding their challenges.
Commit to a tailored, consultative approach.
And more B2B decision-makers will open their calendars to you.
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