tightlines

Account Executive

C-Level outreach tactic, the 3 i's - thoughts?

Howdy y'all. I read this Linkedin post today about a tactic to successfully reach C-level contacts and I'll paste it below here. What are your thoughts? Have any of you used something like this before?

Here's the post:

"This is the exact method I use to get the VP/C-Levels attention.

But it requires patience…

Kevin "KD" Dorsey calls it the "3 I’s”:

When I get a new account, the first thing I do is talk to the individual contributors.

I sell to salespeople so I’m sliding in those SDR and AE DMs.

Once I’ve got some info on tech stack and pain points, I go to the Managers and Directors.

If I can book a meeting with them, I do.

If not, I’ll get more insight on what’s going on in the org.

Only once I’ve done this, I target the VP/C-Level.

This allows me to target the decision-makers with VERY specific and relevant messaging.

Because I’ve formed a hypothesis from slowly working my way up the ladder.

So why does KD call it the 3 I’s?

- You go low for info

- Mid-level for insight

- And high for influence"

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

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7 comments

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TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

yep. this is useful. the bigger the org the more useful it is.

Other people call this the "ground swell" approach.

where you try to talk to ppl at the bottom so when you speak to the DM's you already know alot about whats going on.

solid advice.

i do find it annoying when ppl take a common practice and just name it something different for their own gain though...but I do think KD has some good stuff.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Yeah, rebranding it as though it was a stunning new idea.

It's a good idea, and the "3 i's" approach makes it easy to remember, but the technique has been around for a long time. It's a successful technique, however.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

2

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Thank you for the info

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Its one way to do it, I guess.

My 2cents - once you get a mtg at the Mngr/Dir level, you're stuck there. They don't want you to go above them and if you do go above them, they will resent you and kill your Sale.

Talking to the IC's is a solid way to start. Get to know the company's pain points - especially what the CEO has been saying. But the pain's of the IC's are not necessarily what the C/V-level care about.

Take the leap from there straight to the top people. IME, that's the better strategy.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

I mean I do my in depth research before I reach out to the c-level. I don't sell to salespeople so this wouldn't benefit me. To each their own I guess.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

0

Sales Rep

Are you typically getting intro from reps to managers to directors to vps?

tightlines

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Not typically

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