How to Sell Your Ideas to Senior Executives

Size up your proposal from their point of view There are few tasks more challenging than convincing senior management to approve a major technology project. No matter how urgent the need and how sound the proposal, sometimes it just doesn’t get approved. Major errors can result from a simple failure of communications. Yet some telecom and IT managers succeed consistently. What makes the difference? In my experience, it boils down to six key concepts: 1. Set the stage. Telecom technology and networking is going through a revolution, and most senior executives do not understand its implications. Ask them what role telecom plays in achieving an organization’s objective, and how the organization plans to evolve telecom services over time, and you’ll often get answers that are vague, inaccurate, or out of date. Very few see the big picture. It’s up to you to show how your proposal uses the potential of new technology to help achieve the organization’s business priorities.Proposals that get adopted seem to share three characteristics: All stakeholders agree on where their company sits on the technology adoption curve. All have a firm grasp on the implications of the proposed change. All understand the difference between what’s mandatory vs. what’s nice to have.2. Make your case succinctly. Technology proposals are always founded on a mass of detail—about the systems themselves and the financial considerations. And many still present a cost-benefit analysis with piles of numbers and pages of vague benefits. You need to focus on the five or six key considerations that make your case, translating the jargon into a language that anyone can understand. Doing this well establishes your credibility.Three pointers:Where there’s a complex issue, get help in addressing the complexities. Concentrate on developing a great executive summary, making sure it really is a summary. Focus on presenting sound conclusions and appropriate recommendations, not on tons of facts and findings.3. Anticipate objections. You should be able to anticipate every objection—and answer it. But how do you prepare for this? We recently worked with managers in two organizations who tackled this well. The first—knowing that the key person to convince was the CFO—presented financial buy vs. rent options in three different ways, with layers of supporting detail to answer every question quickly and easily. It took a lot of work to prepare but there was a great payoff when it got approved. The second—a large organization with various turfs—listed the decision makers, conducted interviews, then developed a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for each one of them. Then they packaged it and presented it to the key corporate decision maker. 4. Present it right. Every organization has its own culture—particularly regarding how important spending proposals are presented. Styles range from a CEO asking for a one-page e-mail to an IT director asking for a structured 50-page document, along with a formal presentation. What method works in your organization?Whether it’s an informal presentation with a few people, a face-to-face group discussion with many, a thick report with an executive summary, or all of these, the best sellers know what the key people want. And if they don’t, they ask. 5. Build consensus. Telecom and networking changes affect everyone—but in different ways. New and emerging technologies change the way people do business. It is critical that you identify everyone who will be affected by the change you propose. And that you address all their concerns before going to the corner office. It’s as if IP stood for "Integrate People." Because to gain full advantage of new IP-based technologies, you’ve got to collaborate across organizational lines. The changes you’re proposing probably have implications for more than just one group. Technology integration works best when combined with people integration. 6. Propose action. Your proposal must include the next step—the first move that will begin turning your plan into reality. You need to ask for authority to act. To boil these six points down to one: Put yourself in the decision makers’ shoes, and size up the proposal from their point of view. If you were in their place, would you find it convincing? "On the Line" is based on the consulting experience of Angus Dortmans Associates (www.angustel.ca). Henry Dortmans, President, welcomes comments and suggestions. Send an e-mail to dortmans@angustel.ca or call him at 800-263-4415 ext. 300.

How to Sell Your Ideas to Senior Executives

News | January 28, 2005

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