C-suite marketing refers to the marketing strategies, initiatives and activities that are designed to target high-level executives, such as CEOs, CFOs, COOs and CMOs (collectively referred to as the “C-suite”).
The aim of C-suite marketing is to create a targeted approach that speaks directly to the needs and priorities of top-level executives, who are responsible for making important decisions related to business strategy, budget allocation, and partnerships.
It often involves developing targeted content and messaging that speaks to the concerns and interests of C-suite executives.
To win them over, marketers leverage channels such as email, social media, events, and other platforms where executives are likely to be active. It may also involve building relationships with industry influencers and thought leaders who have the attention and respect of the C-suite.
The goals of C-suite marketing are to:
- Create a positive and lasting impression of the company.
- Establish trust and credibility with top executives.
- Drive business growth and success.
Scroll 👇 to read our ultimate guide to C-suite marketing, including strategies and best practices.
What are the benefits of C-suite marketing?
Marketing to the C-suite is important for B2B companies for several reasons:
1. Decision-making power
The C-suite wields decision-making power in most organisations, making them a key target for B2B marketers.
If you can successfully market to the C-suite and convince them of your solution’s value, you will win their business.
2. High-value deals
The C-suite is often responsible for making high-value purchasing decisions; winning their business can result in significant revenue for B2B companies.
3. Brand awareness
Marketing to the C-suite can also help to build brand awareness and reputation among top-level executives.
This can lead to referrals and recommendations to other companies in your industry.
4. Long-term partnerships
Winning the trust of the C-suite can lead to long-term partnerships and repeat business.
Executives are often looking for partners who can provide ongoing value and help them achieve their objectives.
5. Influence on lower-level employees
The C-suite has influence over lower-level employees; if they’re convinced of your solution’s value, they may advocate for your product or service within their company.
How is marketing to the C-suite different from marketing to lower-seniority roles?
1. Strategic focus
C-suite executives are primarily focused on strategic decisions that impact their company’s long-term success.
Therefore, C-suite marketing needs to focus on your product’s strategic benefits and value proposition, rather than just the features and benefits.
2. Personalised approach
C-suite execs have different needs, priorities and pain points than other roles in the business.
To win over executives, C-suite marketers need to take a personalised approach that speaks directly to their unique challenges and objectives.
3. Relationship-building
C-suite members are more likely to make decisions based on trust and relationships than other roles in the organisation.
Therefore, C-suite marketing must focus on building long-term relationships, providing thought leadership, and demonstrating industry expertise.
4. Content formats
The C-suite has limited time; they normally prefer to consume information in concise and visually appealing formats.
Content formats such as infographics, reports/surveys and videos are best for C-suite marketing.
5. Buying power
The most important difference of all!
C-suite executives have significant buying power and regularly make large purchasing decisions.
Your C-suite marketing campaigns must focus on demonstrating the ROI and long-term benefits of your product/service.
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What are the best strategies for marketing to the C-suite?
Marketing to the C-suite requires a tailored approach that takes into consideration their unique needs, preferences, and decision-making processes.
Here are some strategies for effective C-suite marketing 👇
1. Focus on thought leadership
C-suite executives are always interested in industry insights and trends.
A thought leadership strategy that showcases your company’s expertise will be effective in building trust and credibility with the C-suite.
Partner with subject matter experts to level up your content and deliver the latest and greatest insights to your C-suite audience.
2. Provide personalised content
The C-suite is often pressed for time, so it’s crucial to deliver personalised content that speaks directly to their pain points and priorities.
Consider using content formats such as executive briefings, whitepapers, and reports. Don’t copy and paste - make the content bespoke for the individual!
3. Leverage industry events
CEOs, CROs, CMOs often attend industry events and conferences. These are excellent places to connect with the C-suite in person.
A good strategy is to host your own executive events or roundtables. This way, you’ll build relationships and trust with top-level execs.
4. Emphasise the long-term value
Long-term goals and outcomes are what matters to the C-suite!
To capture their attention, deploy marketing messages that demonstrate your product’s long-term value.
5. Demonstrate ROI
C-suite executives are responsible for making large purchasing decisions, so it’s critical to demonstrate your product or service’s ROI.
Provide your C-suite prospect with case studies, testimonials, and data-driven insights; these will help you to build a strong business case for investing in your offering.
What are the best practices for C-suite marketing?
Here are five best practices for C-suite marketing 👇
1. Focus on building relationships
C-suite marketing is all about building strong relationships with top-level executives.
It’s essential to invest time and effort into building these relationships and nurturing them over time.
2. Leverage the right channels
Identify the channels that C-suite executives are most likely to use. Then, focus your marketing efforts on those channels.
Skip to a section ➡️ What are the best channels for marketing to the C-suite?
3. Stay up-to-date with industry trends
C-suite executives are typically very clued-up on the big events and trends in their industry.
As a C-suite marketer, it’s vital that you’re knowledgeable about the latest developments, too. You’ll need to share insights and solutions that are relevant to your prospect’s business.
Here are some ideas for keeping your ear to the ground:
- Follow your C-suite targets on social media.
- Set up Google Alerts for their company/industry
- Subscribe to newsletters/online forums.
4. Measure and optimise your efforts
Tracking the success of your C-suite marketing campaign is essential. You’ll need to understand what’s working and what isn’t.
Skip to a section ➡️ How can I measure the ROI of my C-suite marketing campaign?
5. Be patient!
Take it from us - C-suite marketing demands patience and persistence!
Building strong relationships with top-level executives takes time, but the payoff can be super-rewarding.
Remember that C-suite members often measure their progress in quarters, halves and years, not months!
What sort of messaging works when marketing to the C-suite?
For best results, C-suite marketing messaging needs to be strategic, concise and focused on business outcomes.
Here are some types of messaging that work well 👇
1. ROI-focused messaging
C-suite executives are responsible for the company’s bottom line, so messaging that demonstrates your service’s ROI is highly effective.
Top tip:
Provide case studies and testimonials that show how your solution has been effective for other companies in your prospect’s industry.
2. Strategic messaging
The C-suite is focused on strategic decision-making, so messaging that speaks to your offering’s long-term value often works very well.
Top tip:
Highlight how your solution can help the company achieve its long-term goals and objectives.
3. Personalised messaging
For effective C-suite marketing, you’ll want to get as personalised as possible. C-suite executives have priorities and challenges that set them apart from their juniors.
Top tip:
Discover the specific challenges that each exec is facing, then devise messaging that answers those challenges.
4. Thought leadership messaging
To win over the C-suite, you’ll need to position your company as a thought leader in your space.
Top tip:
If you don’t have the knowledge in-house, approach B2B influencers who do have the knowledge. Work with them to refresh your messaging and provide value-led content to your C-suite prospects.
5. Risk-reduction messaging
A big part of the C-suite’s job is to manage risk for their business. Messaging about how your solution can reduce risk and increase security can be effective.
Top tip:
Highlight your company’s security measures, certifications, and compliance with industry regulations.
What are the best channels for marketing to the C-suite?
When marketing to the C-suite, you must take into account their busy schedules and unique preferences.
Here are some of the most effective channels for reaching the C-suite:
1. Email marketing
A very effective way to reach the C-suite, so long as the messaging is personalised and relevant as long as you have an accurate email list to reach C-suite executives.
Want to know when are the best times to email the C-suite?
Skip to a section ➡️ When are the best times to send marketing messages to the C-suite?
2. Social media
Social media is a great channel for building relationships with the C-suite, especially on professional networks like LinkedIn.
Here’s how to establish your company as a trusted partner:
- Share thought leadership content daily.
- Engaging with the C-suite’s posts - leave comments and likes!
- Join and be active in relevant industry groups.
3. Content marketing
Use content marketing to capture the C-suite’s attention - but again, ensure the content is tailored to their needs and interests.
Executive summaries, whitepapers, and case studies can help to demonstrate your company’s expertise and thought leadership.
4. Account-based marketing
Account-based marketing (or ABM for short) is a targeted approach that focuses on building relationships with specific accounts or target companies.
ABM can be effective when marketing to the C-suite, as it allows for personalised messaging and relationship-building.
5. Industry events
Why not get away from your computer and connect with the C-suite in person?
CEOs and their direct reports are often invited to industry events, so make sure you get tickets and see their speeches!
6. Direct mail
Like with industry events, it’s time to go offline!
Direct mail is a unique way to stand out from the crowd and grab your prospects’ attention. Research your C-suite target thoroughly to work out the types of messaging and content that they’ll enjoy.
When are the best times to send marketing messages to the C-suite?
Timing is so important when marketing to the C-suite; you want your demand generation campaigns to be seen and acted on!
Here are some best practices for timing your C-suite marketing messages 👇
1. Avoid Mondays
Monday mornings are typically busy times for the C-suite, with many catching up on emails and meetings from the previous week.
It’s best to avoid sending marketing messages on Monday mornings.
2. Midweek is best
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday tend to be the best days to send marketing messages to the C-suite; these days are less hectic than Monday or Friday.
Midweek also allows for more time to follow up on any messages sent.
3. Avoid Fridays
Fridays are often busy with the C-suite wrapping up the week’s work and preparing for the weekend.
C-suite executives are less likely to engage with marketing messages on Fridays.
4. Timing matters
Consider the time of day when sending marketing messages to the C-suite.
Early mornings and late afternoons are often busy times for executives, so it’s best to send messages during mid-morning or mid-afternoon. They’re more likely to be freer at these times.
5. Avoid weekends and holidays
Never send the C-suite a message on weekends or public holidays. They’re very unlikely to engage at these times.
6. Be aware of time zones
If you’re targeting executives in different time zones, research the best time to reach them.
You want to ensure that your message is received during normal business hours.
How can I measure the ROI of my C-suite marketing campaign?
It can be challenging to measure the ROI of C-suite marketing; you may find it difficult to directly attribute business outcomes to your specific activities.
However, here are some metrics and approaches that can help you measure the effectiveness of your C-suite campaigns 👇
Engagement metrics
Track metrics such as:
- Email open rates.
- Click-through rates
- Social media engagement.
- Event attendance.
With these, you’ll get a sense of whether your C-suite marketing content is resonating with your target audience.
Lead generation metrics
Track the number of leads generated from your C-suite marketing campaign and the percentage of those leads that converted into customers.
Sales revenue
If your attribution is set up correctly, track the revenue generated by customers who were initially engaged by your C-suite campaign.
Cost analysis
Track the costs associated with your C-suite marketing efforts; these will help you determine the ROI of your marketing spend.
Surveys and feedback
Measuring the effectiveness of C-suite marketing isn’t just about data and metrics!
Survey your C-suite customers and gather feedback on their experience with your brand. Specifically, how did they find you and why did they sign up with you?
These insights can be invaluable for improving your C-suite marketing campaigns.
What are the common challenges faced in C-suite marketing?
We won’t lie - C-suite marketing is hard! You have to target a highly influential and discerning audience.
Here are some common challenges faced in C-suite marketing. It’s vital to understand and address them 👇
1. Reaching the right audience
C-suite executives are often difficult to reach, as they may have high levels of security and privacy around their communications.
2. Creating targeted messaging
It can be challenging to create messaging that resonates with the unique needs and interests of C-suite executives; they have a different perspective and set of priorities than other audiences.
3. Developing high-quality content
C-suite execs are typically highly educated and well-informed, so it's important to develop content that’s insightful, relevant, and of a high standard.
4. Building trust
C-suite executives are often sceptical of marketing messages and may be hesitant to engage with brands they’re not familiar with.
Building trust is essential to developing strong relationships with this audience.
5. Long sales cycles
C-suite marketing can involve long sales cycles. Decision-making processes are always more complex at the executive level.
6. Competing for attention
C-suite executives are busy people! They receive a high volume of communications every day.
Ask yourself - how can I cut through the noise and get their attention?
What should you avoid when marketing to the C-suite?
When marketing to the C-suite, you’ll want to avoid certain mistakes that can damage your brand and your relationship with top-level execs.
Here are five things to avoid when marketing to the C-suite 👇
1. Lack of personalisation
Executives are busy and receive a lot of marketing messages; avoid generic, one-size-fits-all messaging!
Personalisation is key when marketing to the C-suite, so take the time to understand their unique needs, pain points, and priorities.
2. Focusing on features instead of benefits
The C-suite is focused on business outcomes and ROI, so it’s best to avoid focusing solely on product features.
Instead, focus on how your solution can drive the business outcomes that matter to the executives.
3. Overpromising
C-suite members are often wary of companies that overpromise and underdeliver, so be honest and transparent in your messaging!
Avoid making unrealistic promises or exaggerating your solution’s benefits.
4. Lack of credibility
The C-suite is looking for partners they can trust; you’ll need to establish your credibility through thought leadership, case studies, and testimonials.
Avoid using business jargon or unsupported claims that can damage your credibility.
5. Lack of follow-up
Never treat a CEO, CRO, CMO, CFO etc. as just another lead!
Follow up promptly and consistently, and continue to provide value even after they become a customer.
What are some examples of successful C-suite marketing campaigns?
These three campaigns demonstrated the targeted messaging, value-led content and thought leadership that are essential to effective C-suite marketing.
1. IBM’s “Cognitive Business” campaign
IBM launched a campaign aimed at C-suite executives, promoting its cognitive computing platform and its potential to transform business processes.
The campaign featured targeted messaging, case studies, and events that demonstrated the value of IBM’s platform for business leaders.
2. HubSpot’s “Marketing Grader” campaign
HubSpot launched a tool called “Marketing Grader” that allowed businesses to assess their website’s strength.
The campaign targeted C-suite executives and positioned HubSpot as a valuable resource for businesses looking to improve their marketing performance.
3. McKinsey & Company’s “Digital Disruption” campaign
McKinsey & Company launched a campaign that featured insights from its consultants on the impact of digital disruption on business.
The campaign targeted C-suite executives and positioned McKinsey as a thought leader in its space.
