How much time do you spend chasing crazy-busy executives who never answer their phone? The fact is, it takes an average of 8 attempts to reach a decision-maker. But what if there were ways to contact them more quickly and easily? In this free guide you'll discover proven tactics for getting the attention of any executive. Takeaways: 1. Creative mailers that will get an immediate response 2. Little-known messaging tactics that will get you noticed 3. How to use humor to make a connection 4. The best times to call executives

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About The Author
Jake Atwood is the Founder and CEO of
BuzzBuilder. He is also a nationally-
recognized keynote speaker and sales
strategist who has trained more than 50 of
the Fortune 500’s sales teams.
About This Guide
The strategies in the ebook are not just
textbook theory. Every idea has been field
tested and proven . However, that doesn’t
mean they’ll work the same for you. We’ll
let you decide which ones you like best.

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Identify Your Best Leads
Connect With Executives
Nurture Cold Prospects
BuzzBuilder automates your prospecting
and helps you set appointments
without cold calling

4. If you’re already working with
other companies within the
decision-maker’s industry, use
voice mail or email to mention
the impact you’ve made.
“Hi Wendy, we’ve been working with XYZ
Company on new ways to speed up their
production time and I have a few ideas about
how your company could also accomplish this.”
Name Drop Competitors
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5. Most decision-makers like to
include others in the decision.
These could be people in the
same department but could
also include other departments
as well. Identify 3-4 key people
and then mention the others
you’re also contacting.
“Hi Joe, I thought I’d get in touch with you,
Mary Williams, and Bob Smith to discuss…”
Name Drop Other Executives
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6. It’s hard to believe that most
salespeople don’t send hand-
written cards… especially
because they ALWAYS get
opened! Send a card
explaining why you’d like to
meet and then follow up with a
call or email.
Send A Personalized Card
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7. Executives run on a different
schedule than salespeople do.
They like to be in the office
when there are no distractions.
This means you’ll have better
luck reaching them before
8:00am or after 5:00pm.
Call Early & Late
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8. Cold email campaigns are
statistically more successful
than cold calling. Send one or
more emails prior to your
phone calls. Use one of our
proven cold email templates to
craft the perfect message.
Send An Email
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9. It doesn’t always need to be
business as usual. Send
something humorous or
playful to get the executive’s
attention. For example, we
know a top-performing Sales
Rep who sends a bag of
popcorn with a note attached
that says, “Can I pop by?”
Send Something Corny
Tip: Make sure you also follow up with a
phone call or email.
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10. In our free guide called
20 Shocking Sales Statistics,
we found that it takes at least
8 attempts to finally get a
decision-makers’s attention.
Most salespeople give up after
making only 2 attempts. The
lesson: Keep trying!
Make 8 Touches
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11. Tailor your approach to the
executive’s current needs. Is
there an initiative or trend you
can impact? Use tools like
Google News, Newsl, and
InsideView to research your
key accounts.
Leverage Trigger Events
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12. She’ll likely refer you to the
appropriate person. When you
call or email this person,
leverage the fact that the
CEO’s office referred you.
Call The CEO’s Assistant
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13. Talk to people inside the
executive’s department, or try
calling one of their Sales Reps
(just call the main number and
ask to be transferred to the
sales department).
Find A Champion
Tip: Jot down 3-5 questions you can ask the
champion that would prepare you for a call
with the executive.
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14. You don’t need to pay for
InMail to reach executives on
LinkedIn. Send a LinkedIn
request to people and follow
up with a LinkedIn email once
they accept.
Use LinkedIn
Tip: For more LinkedIn Strategies, download
Top Secret LinkedIn Tips & Tools.
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15. Remember that people make
decisions based on emotion. In
your emails or voice mails,
make sure you convey
confidence and belief in your
solution.
Humanize The Situation
“Bob, I certainly don’t expect you to make any
changes at this point. All I’m asking for is a
brief call and I’m confident my ideas will be
worth your time.”
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16. If you think that your calls are
being screened by caller ID,
use *67 to hide your number.
You can also call from your cell
phone so they’ll see a person’s
name on their called ID instead
of a company name.
Call From A New Number
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17. Cell phone numbers are no
longer well-kept secrets. In
fact, a lot of executives list
their mobile number to their
email signature. If your call
goes voice mail, press 0 to get
redirected to the operator and
then ask for the mobile
number.
Call Their Cell Phone
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18. Anything sent in an Express
Mail envelope gets opened.
Best of all, you don’t need to
pay the expensive Express
Mail prices. Instead, purchase
faux express envelopes that
can be mailed at standard
USPS postage rates. Check out
services like
XpressEnvelopes.com
Send Express Mail
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19. Has a gatekeeper ever asked
you the dreaded question,
“What is your call regarding?”
Then you’ve lost control of the
conversation and made it easy
for your call to get blocked!
Learn new ways to work with
gatekeepers. We suggest
TheProspectingExpert.com
Work With Gatekeepers
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20. Join the associations and
LinkedIn Groups where you
can connect with decision-
makers. I once heard of a Sales
Rep who learned that one of
her prospects was on the
Board of Directors for a local
charity. She made a modest
donation and then leveraged
this fact to reach him… and
close the sale!
Attend Executive Functions
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21. Sometimes you’ve “gotta be
bold!” If all else fails, mention
to the executive (in a voice
mail or email) that you’ll send
a calendar invite for a brief 5-
minute conversation. When
you schedule it, add a
description about the purpose
of the conversation and then
send a meeting invitation.
Send A Calendar Invite
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22. Ok, so this might not be an
official tactic, but it’s an
important lesson when trying
to reach crazy-busy
executives. Putting forth a
little extra effort could pay
huge dividends. Give yourself
the “edge” by simply making
more attempts than your
competitors do.
Be Persistent
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23. Identify Your Best Leads
Connect With Executives
Nurture Cold Prospects
BuzzBuilder Helps You
Reach More Decision-Makers
& Generate More Appointments