C-suite executives are the most important, senior executives of a company. The letter 'C' in C-suite stands for 'chief', as in chief executive officer, for example.

Due to their impressive status, these senior decision makers are understandably hounded by a number of companies every day. These companies are competing for the busy C-suite executive’s limited time and attention, doing so in a noisy environment of information overload.

But despite this, companies do stand a chance. Here are three ways in which marketers and advertisers can ensure their message is heard: 

1. Put yourself in their shoes

Let us imagine for a moment that we are the CEO of a successful company – I mean, we all do that anyway, don’t we? Our typical day would probably consist of getting up early, and almost immediately checking on the status of the world by catching up on political, economic and current affairs news.

This used to take the form of reading a newspaper at breakfast, but now, think more along the lines of a tablet or phone.

Autoplay, pre-roll and pop-up ads would annoy us while we’re browsing online, which would explain why the C-suite finds these to be the least effective form of digital advertising.

Throughout our day, we would probably check our email often, since much of our important work is communicated on there. While whizzing from meeting to meeting, we’ll make use of our smartphones for almost everything from professional communication to entertainment – when we have a minute to breathe.

Now, the key things to note from this quick thought experiment are:
  • Your messaging will likely be received by the C-suite early in the morning
  • Email is still a powerful tool when targeting the C-suite
  • Annoying pop-ups are a no-go
  • Your message will likely reach this audience on mobile
When it comes to deciding which mediums and platforms you should use in order to target the C-suite, as well as at what time to schedule your messages for, putting yourself in your audience’s (fancy) shoes could mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful campaign.

2. Get straight to the point

It’s no secret that C-suite executives have limited time to spare, and will most likely focus their attention on something that is of value to them or their business. That’s why it’s essential to be clear and concise when speaking to them, so as not to lose their interest.

Remember that these individuals see right through the fluff, so trying to entice them with unsubstantiated claims and fancy talk won’t work if you’ve got nothing of value to offer.

This is why it’s also essential to offer them something of value (without overtly asking for anything in return). Something as simple as a piece of insight, which gives them the competitive edge, can assist you in holding their attention long enough for a door to open.

Furthermore, showing that you have their interests in mind will make you seem more confident and trustworthy as opposed to desperate.

3. Develop trust

As key decision makers, C-suite executives assign a high value to their reputation. This means that, before they can entertain the idea of your product or service, they need to deem you trustworthy and reliable. Taking the time to develop a level of trust with them will pay off in the long run.

This is also why using credible sources and factual information when speaking to them is non-negotiable. Remember that C-suite executives are numbers and fact-driven people, so using dodgy statistics or inaccurate information should be avoided at all costs.

C-suite executives may seem like an intimidating bunch, but they’re still human and are certainly open to believing in your brand. Just make sure that you’re speaking their language, or else your message will easily get drowned out by the noise of their busy lives.

For more information, visit www.arcinteractive.co. You can also follow Arc Interactive on Facebook or on Twitter.