How Do Marketers Get Buy-in From B2B C-Suite Decision Makers?

Typically, C suites are not searching for solutions to problems their staff are facing. It’s the staff who have some category entry point (CEP) to solve a pain their having. We call this a JTBD (jobs to be done) framework. They use word of mouth, research, discover a solution (lots to unpack here), and then bring the solution, or a shortlist of solutions, to their team or boss. From there the boss must be convinced that having this solution will result in increased productivity, improved operational efficiency, enhanced security, lower costs, etc.

What I’ve just described is what is called an Internal Champion framework. We must first convince the end user (not the buyer), and empower them to do the talking on our behalf. We can empower them by offer the right information that a c suite would need at a quick glance.

This could include:

• Comparison tables
• Downloadable one-pagers
• Social proof
• Trade show presence
• Partnerships and associations from trusted brands
• Being known as an industry thought leader
• Adhering to compliance standards
• Video testimonials from customers who are similar to them
• Self-serve demo walkthroughs
• Walkthrough videos
• Personalization
• Transparent pricing
• Clear value props
• Free trials
• FAQs
• List of integrations
• Roadmap (for future-proofing)
• Market salience…

Consumers have anxiety – we don’t want to make the wrong choice, we don’t want to overpay or get ripped off, we don’t want to make the wrong decision and look bad in front of our peers and lose face… so we must approach marketing as a means of reducing anxiety and building trust.

There’s no magic bullet, B2B marketing is hard. You have to do as much as your team and budget can handle, consistently, over time.

We can also rely on tools and better data to make our jobs more efficient, productive, and cost effective.