You’ll never be able to control every aspect of a business's transaction. It doesn’t matter how good your service is or how catchy your pitch is; you just can’t control every variable involved.
Even after you present your graphs and highlight your statistics and get the manager to jump aboard, that manager still has to approach his boss and convince him that you’re worth his time.
You can’t control what this manager says or does, but you can provide him with the right tools to pitch your services in a way that will increase your chance of closing the deal.
1. Address the right needs
Stress information that is relevant to the boss’s needs. This means you have to first understand what those needs are. What’s more, you have to make sure the manager understands them as well, because sometimes a manager can be more worried about his bottom line than his boss’s.
Keep in mind that higher-level supervisors are typically interested in two things. How do I increase profitability? And, how can I help my organization grow?
Make it clear how you can answer those questions.
2. Provide proof
It’s not enough to claim that your services will help an organization grow. You have to prove it to a manager, thus, enabling him to prove it to his own boss.
I go into detail in a previous post about three very effective ways to prove a claim. In short, use a balanced mix of statistics, case studies, and positive public acknowledgment.
3. Give them something memorable
What is the most innovative feature of your service? Are you using technology in a fresh, new way? What about it makes it different?
Coupled with a healthy dose of proof, unique features can be impressive, or at the very least, intriguing. Give a manager something interesting to talk about, something that will grab his boss’s attention and provoke a few questions. It’ll help get the ball rolling.
Convincing a manager that your service has value is only half the battle. While you can’t control the other half, you can certainly focus on information that will prepare a manager to give a strong pitch on your behalf.