Cliff, I tried to make it clear, you don't sell tech to CEO...you sell corporate wide benefit. CIO, IT and others follow the direction established by CEO.
And getting consultant companies involved is a given, but they are simply VAR (resellers with lots of products/services). Using a VAR approach means focus is hard to keep on your product/service. We started with 100% VAR approach due to start-up cost attractions and fired all after first year due to lack of performance. Changing to internal staff changed results like night and day. Treat VARs as bonus sales, not lifeline business.
I agree, IT must buy off, but politics is removed in majority of cases when the top is involved. And man are there politics within IT at many big corporations. Some get bloody, but this is a war so you fight the fights that NEED to be won.
Selling a supply chain as primary strategy is fine with an established market, but new platforms need different approach till the leaders set the way. Hardest part of any launch is getting the first major clients. Don’t ignore supply chain, use their contacts and keep them in the loop when feasible.
Remember one key element constant to most every worker...go to work, be productive find a way NOT to get fired. It's a fact of life, most people are NOT risk takers, but followers. Starting at the top removes the fear of change as the word comes from the person signing the checks.
I don’t understand how some even challenge the current strategy used by Wave can be defended. Results is all that matters and building an OPPORTUNITY (as wave did) means nothing if you don’t close the deal.
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