How to avoid screwing up executive-level meetings

Every minute with an executive is high-impact and requires precise strategy. Nate Nasralla offers a clear plan:

1. Preparation

   • Craft a strategic, high-level narrative to grab the executive’s interest.

   • Condense this message into a brief "strategic soundbite."

   • Prepare minimal materials (no more than 25% of meeting time).

   • Secure support from the executive’s trusted advisor.

   • Attach a pre-read memo to your calendar invite.

2. Meeting structure

   • Start strong: Open with a unique insight to grab attention.

   • Adapt to their style: Observe and match the executive’s communication style.

   • Confirm or correct: Check if your key points resonate or need adjusting.

   • Clarify decision path: Help the executive see your proposal’s importance relative to other priorities.

   • Define next steps: Pin down exact follow-up actions and team contacts.

3. After the meeting

   • Send a forwardable follow-up email.

   • Provide "no-response-needed" updates to keep the executive informed.

   • Boost your champion’s reputation by aligning with their goals.
     

Ask these questions to reveal executive priorities

Jamal Reimer shares his best strategies for engaging with Fortune 50 executives. His approach avoids rigid scripts, instead using specific questions to uncover what truly matters to decision-makers and identify champions who will push projects forward.

Here are four lines he uses to keep executives engaged and move discussions toward closing:

• "Scale of 1-10": Ask for a quick rating to gauge urgency or importance, helping them decide instantly what matters.

• “What’s the one thing you want from any solution you pick?”: This question reveals their top priority, letting you target exactly what they value.

• “Why not just add more people to the problem?”: Suggesting a quick fix often prompts them to explain why they need a real solution, confirming their commitment to change.

• “Do you want to track this or hand it to your team?”: This tells you if they’ll champion the project; interest shows they’ll stay involved, lack of it means you might need a new advocate.

When to stop pitching and start listening

Stephane Seguin explains how to regain the attention of a distracted decision-maker in sales meetings:

• Stay calm: If they seem mentally checked out, avoid panicking or pushing harder. This only creates resistance.

• Shift focus to them: To draw them back, ask an open-ended question like, “What are your thoughts on how this fits into your broader strategy?” This puts them in control, signaling that their input matters.

• Create two-way engagement: By making it a two-way conversation, you’ll likely see more genuine interest. Others in the room may also lean in and engage.

• Uncover real feedback: Re-engagement often leads to more honest feedback, bringing hidden concerns to the surface. This insight can help move the conversation forward and get closer to closing.

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