Engaging Executives

A core principle of executive engagement is that time, not money, is the scarcest resource for an executive.  Before you can show demonstrate your product's return on investment, you have to demonstrate your return on the executive's time.

Consider executive events as an example.  For a senior executive, it is not the out-of-pocket cost of the conference that makes the difference, even in this economy.  What matters is the time cost.

So what makes an event worth an executive's time?

According to a recent survey by the IT Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), executives are not interested in the traditional boondoggles.  Julie Schwartz writes that executives want learning and networking with peers.

Senior client executives want to learn about new ideas and new approaches to tackling different problems they are facing, and they want to be in the room with peers and subject matter experts. The specific topics chosen are important draws.

In addition, "senior executives want the opportunity to influence the strategy and direction of their providers," resulting in high ratings for advisory councils.   

Overall, the ITSMA survey reinforced the cardinal rule of executive engagement.  "The one thing senior executives don’t want is a sales pitch."