So what did I do to grab the attention of a CEO who is in charge of 170,000 staff in 78 different countries?
Surprisingly, nothing ground breaking.
Below is the letter I sent to the CEO of HSBC. You can see his reply here.
What makes the letter, however, is what I call ‘the-conversation-in-their-head’ as they bump from one paragraph to another.
I have numbered the ‘conversation’ points, and underneath, I go through them.
Here’s a print of the letter (which is why it’s not on company letterhead).
The first thing you’ll notice is I lead with flattery.
Too much flattery? How can anyone say that – it did its job perfectly: my foot was more than in the door.
Now on to that ‘conversation-in-his-head’.
I like to think it would have gone something like this:
1. “This guy has read my annual statement.”
2. “Yep, he’s definitely read the annual statment. What does he want?”
3. “£2 million investment? Not a tin pot outfit then.”
4. “Host an event? He does seem serious about this.”
5. “This could fit in with us.”
6. “Compatible with our I.T infrastructure? Sounds that way.”
7. “Definitely not a tinpot outfit. And the Bank of Scotland, eh?”
8. “What are my thoughts on this?”
Let’s be clear, nobody except Mr Whitson knew what was going through his head. But I like to think it was something similar. How else could it lead to a meeting with three of his execs?
You’ll also notice it also looks like it was meant for him, and him alone. And it is – but only for the first two paragraphs.
Don’t believe me? Have a look for yourself, I’ve highlighted in blue the ‘generic’ parts of the letter, which you could send to any CEO:
And to prove the point, I’ll jog your memory. You’ve already seen the below reply – but it’s another reply, from another bank.
The same letter was sent out, just with a different opening, that’s all:
So the absolute first thing you need to do is think about ‘nod factor’.
What can you say, that will get your prospect nodding in agreement with you straight off the bat?
Of course, a little research always helps.
But with a little thought, it’s easy enough.
Look at the ‘blue part’ of the letters above and write your 4 or 5 paragraphs (or whatever it takes) so you have the ‘cast iron’ bit of your letter – the bit that never changes regardless of who you are writing to.
One more thing. Never be a needy salesman – always write from one business exec to another.
And click here if you want to see more examples – believe it or not, it’s another reply from another bank.
Why am I telling you all this?
The process I have outlined is helpful, but not complete. I have refined my process over the years and it is very effective.
Infact, the chances are you only reading this because of one of my mails or letters.
If so, can I help you do the same?
Please do mail me or call me on 0333 2226343
Best
Al