Selling Strategies for Top Executives

Oct 17, 2024

Notes on "Selling to Vito, the Very Important Top Officer"

Introduction

  • Speaker: Tony Parinello
    • Creator of Vito selling
    • Third edition of "Selling to Vito"
    • Focuses on selling methodology for the 21st century
  • Key Message: "Get to the top, get to the point, get the sale"
    • Advocates starting from the top with the CEO, president, or founder
    • Core principle: Vito (Very Important Top Officer) cares about results
    • Proven to be effective through field testing and years of experience

Vito Selling Method

  • Objective: Position yourself as the dominant provider of value
  • Challenge: Change your perspective on
    • Yourself
    • Your product
    • Your marketplace
    • Your organization
    • Your selling style

Technology and Support

  • Support System: Live weekly internet broadcasts with Tony
    • Updated Vito selling tactics
    • Market-specific questions answered
    • Role-playing calls and messages

Personal Experience

  • Example: Bald eagle analogy
    • Eagles fly alone, prefer higher altitudes for a better vantage point
    • Comparison to Vito, who also likes to be at the top

Vito Rule

  • Vito Rule: Vito is the ultimate approver
    • Interested in all aspects of the organization

Sales Process

  • Current Sales Practices:
    • How high up do you start your initial contact?
    • Typical starting points: lower-level supervisors
  • Observation: Low-level contacts lead to delayed decisions

Network of Influence and Authority

  • Structure:
    1. Recommenders: Users of the product
    2. Influencers: Provide recommendations, often lead to delays
    3. Decision Makers: Report to Vito
    4. Vito: The final approver

Transformation

  • Personal Story:
    • Tony’s experience at Hewlett Packard
    • Shift from low-level contact to Vito

Conclusion and Engagement

  • Invitation: Engage with Tony's live broadcasts for further learning
  • Promise: All teachings are ethical and used by Tony in his own practice
  • Next Steps: Be prepared to embrace the mindset needed to sell to Vito

This summary provides an overall understanding of the key concepts and strategies in Tony Parinello's "Selling to Vito," focusing on the importance of starting sales at the top and engaging with the Vito method for transformative sales results.