Preparing for an Executive Meeting: A Pre-Work Worksheet for Sellers A meeting with a senior executive is short and rarely repeated, so preparation matters more than polish. This worksheet gathers the questions to answer before you walk in. It draws on the executive selling approach described by LSA Global. It is general information only, so confirm program details with the provider. Start With the Executive's World LSA says executives need to see how a product or service will affect their overall corporate goals before they approve a purchase. Selling to them is different from solution selling at the department level. Begin with their priorities, not your features. Do the Homework LSA describes a workshop in which participants study a target company's annual report, financial reports, and industry analyst reports to find the issues that matter most to that executive. - What are the stated strategic priorities this year? - Which numbers in the annual report changed, and why? - What do analysts say about the industry? - Who else influences the decision? Know the Financial Language The program covers financial concepts such as return on investment, time to market, and the time value of money. Practice stating your value in those terms, not only in product terms. Frame the Value LSA lists outcomes executives care about, including greater revenue, faster sales cycles, less price discounting, improved customer loyalty, increased market share, decreased operating costs, and better control of inventory. Choose the one or two that fit this account and say so plainly. Plan the Conversation The workshop includes planning and practicing executive level meetings using a real account. Write your opening, three questions, and your closing request, then rehearse with a colleague who plays the executive. - Opening: one sentence tying your visit to their priority - Questions: open, specific, and about outcomes - Closing: a clear next step After the Meeting Send a short note that restates what you heard and the next step you agreed. Record what you learned for the account plan, and note anything you would change next time. A Quick Self Check Before you leave for the meeting, read your notes aloud once. If any sentence sounds like a brochure, rewrite it as a statement about the executive's business. Keep a single page of facts you can scan in under a minute, and leave the slide deck in your bag unless the executive asks for it. Where to Read More The full description of the executive selling workshop, including who it is for and what participants learn, is at https://lsaglobal.com/executive-selling-training-coaching/ and covers executive sales training for sellers and managers who sell to senior leaders. Contact details are on the site.