If you’ve ever tried to get the C-suite engaged with a marketing campaign, you’ll know just how challenging it can be. Time with a CXO is in great demand, and their schedules are highly protected.
At Wise & Zeal, we’ve created effective C-suite engagement strategies based on personal experience – and developed our learnings into standout strengths.
For this blog, we sat down with Becky Jones, our Managing Director of Sales and Marketing Alignment, and Katie Kiely, our Customer Advocacy Manager, and asked them to share their expertise and address some frequently asked questions.
“How can marketers show campaign value to secure C-suite engagement?”
Becky: ‘First – and this is most important – at the start of any C-suite campaign, you need to be realistic with all senior stakeholders about what can be achieved. C-suite leaders are unlikely to participate in any marketing campaign unless they can see tangible benefits for their organisation. We’ve learnt it’s vital to frame campaigns – and final outputs – in terms of value: so showcase what you plan to achieve and reinforce how it enhances the organisation’s position and benefits brand awareness.’
Katie: ‘Absolutely! To add to that, our rule of thumb is asking ourselves at the outset, “Are we thinking beyond the first conversation?” Have a clear plan for how the final content will be created, shared and leveraged over a set time period, so all stakeholders can understand the direct return on their time and input.’
Becky: ‘Yes – and take the time to understand what matters most to them: the strategic initiatives they already want to spearhead and which metrics represent success to them. We’ve learnt that if we can align our approach with C-suite priorities, we can build trust – and credibility – from the first opportunity we have to engage. Our favourite question to ask C-suite members is, “What would make this collaboration most valuable to you?”’
‘What’s the best way for marketers to begin working with the C-suite?’
Katie: ‘The C-suite audience is incredibly selective with its time, so be precise about the point of the activity and the expected output and outcomes. That’s critical. I’d say begin by inviting C-suite members to join a short discussion call with other key stakeholders: that will make sure everyone is on the same page about your programme, process and overall value proposition from the start and ensure any concerns are addressed upfront. We’ve also learnt that taking time to explain the benefits experienced by other contributors has a lot of value – whether those benefits are more engagement with peers, an increased profile as a spokesperson, increasing brand visibility by association or even attracting new talent.’
Becky: ‘Of course, it doesn’t always go to plan! Sometimes C-suite members are reluctant to step forward, because of personal preferences or an element of vulnerability or risk that hasn’t been addressed. So, ensure you understand and discuss personal goals and motivations; this will also enable you to deliver a strong campaign that is authentic.
Consider asking what might be holding those individuals back from stepping forward, and be open to proposing how best to work together going forward to address those concerns.’
Katie: ‘Think about all the potential barriers to C-suite involvement and remove as many of them as possible before the first conversation takes place. You should also gather detailed background information on the business, the industry and the market opportunity. We’ve learnt there’s a lot of value in working closely with wider account teams to get a clear understanding of the strategy behind creating the story. For customer advocacy, for example, is it most important to include what products are being used, or should the narrative be about how the customer has made an impact on the bottom line. Or are metrics most important? If so, are there metrics available to support the story?’
‘How can marketers sustain C-suite engagement throughout the process?’
Katie: ‘My key piece of advice here is to always involve the customer’s communications teams at the start of the process. That way, everyone will know what the review and approvals cycle looks like and how long it will take. You will only ever waste a CXO’s time once. If you ask them to spend time and effort contributing to a story that doesn’t get approved because it doesn’t meet corporate guidelines, they simply won’t participate again.
Becky: ‘With maximising time in mind, it’s equally important to ensure you thoroughly prepare the spokesperson before the interview takes place. Get input on the narrative and anecdotes they want to share ahead of time, and ensure any business-critical messages are woven neatly into the story. I’d recommend being meticulous in your approach to managing the process; we’ve found that to be incredibly effective in building trust – not only in the moment but also for future collaborations. I think the quote is: “If the aircraft tables are clean, the passengers assume the engine is working.”’ (Becky is quite right – it’s attributed to Herb Kelleher, Co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines.)
Katie: ‘Your processes should make the campaign activities seamless, unobtrusive and ultimately as enjoyable as possible. If there are complications, problems, last-minute obstacles or poor project management, you risk the campaign stalling before it’s even properly started. So focus on the process.’
Becky: ‘Agreed, and be sure to personalise everything to the individual spokesperson. Each CXO has their own targets, priorities and strategies. Make sure you understand the nuances that are specific to their role and industry, and use the industry-appropriate terminology to show them you really understand the complexities and solutions they are highlighting.’
‘How can marketers develop their C-suite relationship-building skills?’
Katie: ‘It’s really important to learn quickly from mistakes. And always find time to review a project when it’s closed: be aware of what you’ve learnt and how you can do better next time.’
Becky: ‘They’re a niche audience, but the truth is a lot of CXOs are happy to engage in the right opportunity, be it a customer reference, a thought-leadership article, presenting at a hosted event or securing a guest speaker slot on a podcast. So you should always consider how you can move relationships with the individuals you work with forward – and how you can continue to deliver value back to those individuals after the initial reason to connect has concluded. We’ve found it a distinct advantage to have team members who speak a number of different languages. That’s enabled us to really build on those business relationships.’
Katie: ‘That reconnection is something we do far more naturally now. It can definitely feel clunky at first: we’ve learnt not to try too hard to create a fit if there isn’t one. You don’t want a CXO to think you only see them as a campaign asset, so it’s often better to wait until the right opportunity comes up naturally. If you can follow up with an opportunity relevant to them that’s not sales driven, that’ll show them you’ve listened, taken note of what’s important to them to be involved with and considered how they could get further value from something that falls beyond your initial remit. We’ve learnt that if you show C-suite members you are invested in their success, it can move you towards being a strategic business partner rather than just being considered as a one-off contact.’
About Wise & Zeal
Our ability to secure C-suite participation in customer advocacy programmes is a standout strength, but it’s only a fraction of how we might help you turn your senior customer voices into powerful advocates of your brand.
Through first-hand experience, we’ve developed multiple strategies for creating content styles from thought leadership to board-level insights, allowing us to consistently deliver high-value content that resonates with CXO audiences.Do you want to know more about how we can help your business engage more effectively with C-suite audiences? Please get in touch.
