When it comes to their employees, companies, on average, have done a pretty good job of adapting to the new normal. 

Good news: We’re now well past the halfway point in 2020. So, if you’ve managed to keep your resolution this year despite a pandemic, a...

As the saying goes, never let a crisis go to waste. 

At first, it was all about battening down the hatches until the COVID-19 pandemic blew over. 

It’s official: America is in a recession. But that hasn’t stopped everyone from moving onward and upward. Many C-suite executives are...

Virtual selling is working. 

Retail dominated earnings calls over the past two weeks, offering an in-depth look at the latest from an industry that has experienced...

It’s official: America is back in business, and companies are picking up the pieces from a beleaguered Q2. 

With the havoc that COVID-19 has wrought on companies comes the widespread assumption that the executives who lead them are rethinking...

As much as things change, they stay the same. While America has largely been on lockdown, that hasn’t stopped C-suite executives from...

Who doesn’t love a good event? For B2B marketers, corporate events, industry trade shows and conferences are sacrosanct. For attendees,...

The fallout from the coronavirus outbreak continues to reverberate through the business world, but not everyone is hunkering down yet....

Running an enterprise is challenging under the best of circumstances. Over much of the past decade, corporate leaders have enjoyed an...

By design, we are a nimble and entrepreneurial company, so we’re used to a fast pace.

COVID-19, the pandemic more commonly known as the coronavirus, is like nothing we’ve ever seen. 

We’ve been talking a lot the past few months about our new executive engagement platform, BI PRO. 

Interest rates may be falling, and coronavirus is upon us, but C-suite executives aren’t hunkering down anytime soon. Many are leveling...

Selling to the C-suite is a one-to-one proposition. Executives who run enterprise companies have very big goals and very little time....

The new year is officially in full swing, and companies are unveiling big plans for the rest of 2020. In the process, they’re finding...

“Who do we know at that company?”

The start of the year — and a new decade — has brought big changes in C-Suites across the country, as well as new opportunities for...

Marketing and sales organizations are forever trying to get in the heads of their most important customers and prospects. 

As end of year approaches, companies are making their last big C-suite overhauls of the decade.

If you have experience in account-based marketing, you’re probably familiar with the “persona” — the blanket identities your create for...

The most wonderful time of the year isn’t without its share of corporate scandal.

What if…

With end-of-year looming and the unemployment rate at a 50-year low, it’s been a busy few weeks for HR departments. And as Q4...

As we head into holiday shopping season (yes, it’s already that time of year), the retail sector is experiencing some seismic leadership...

As the third quarter nears its end, a handful of companies are shaking things up — big time.

We’re back with the next installment of our new feature, Executives on the Move. This week, we’re highlighting big changes at a series...

It’s our job to know what’s happening in the world of business. If you’ve read one of our Executive Profiles, you understand why. We...

In 2018, a leading national telecommunications company decided to launch an account-based marketing program.

Melissa Watts is a senior marketing manager at Adobe, responsible for the territory from Miami to Maine and as far west as Texas.

It’s official: There are more female CEOs on the Fortune 500 this year than at any point in the history of the list.

We always have a good time at the SiriusDecisions Summit, and this year was no different. We spent four days in Austin, sat in on...

2019 has brought some notable changes to the list of Fortune 100 CMOs, a role that continues to evolve beyond the management of a...

Every year since 2007 we have looked at the state of women CIOs across the Fortune 500. We track the number of women in this elite group...

How do you prepare for a meeting with a C-Level executive?

One of the coolest tools used by tech companies to woo customers and close bigger deals is the executive briefing center (EBC). EBCs are...

  There’s a lot of truth in the most overused clichés. When it comes to getting the attention of busy C-Level executives—which is a...

 In business, when does “doing your homework” on a customer cross the line into creepy, stalker-like territory? This comes up a lot in...

Most tech vendors say they want to be seen as trusted partners, not faceless product pushers. And many of their ultimate...

According to Harvard Business Review, the number of people involved in B2B solutions purchases grew from an average of 5.4 in 2015 to...

  Attention marketers and sales leaders: what industry conferences do you attend to keep your knowledge and skills fresh?   I’ve...

From the time we’re quite young, we’re assured by the adults in our lives that there are no stupid questions. That may be true when...

Here's a fact that should get your attention. Turnover among U.S. CEOs in 2018 reached an all-time high, according to global...

SPIN Selling. N.E.A.T. Selling. SNAP Selling. CustomerCentric Selling. MEDDIC. The Challenger Sale. These are some of the most popular...

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn here. The art of storytelling is suddenly everywhere. Within the space of two weeks, I...

A little more than six years ago, my partner Lee Demby wrote that when talking with customers about the value of C-Level executive...

If you’re a tech vendor selling “digital transformation,” one of the best articles you can read right now is a piece by Thomas M. Siebel...

So many of our customers are launching and managing Account Based Marketing programs these days. In fact, hardly a day goes by that we...

Seeking: Female financial services CFOs in the Southwest. Wanted: IT executives in Texas who love cricket. No, these aren’t match.com...

Recently we did a deep dive into the backgrounds of hundreds of enterprise CIOs. If you are familiar with our service, you know that we...

Companies today have huge marketing budgets to show customers how engaged they are in the world and in their communities. Think of...

Is the CIO you’re checking out for a client evolutionary or revolutionary? Is he or she a top, typical, or trailing performer in...

Salesforce is a company I follow very closely. Given their phenomenal growth and the fact they are a longtime customer of ours, I read...

At the beginning of 2017, Ford Motor Company decided to take a leap of faith and create a new C-level position: Chief Brand Officer....

Let’s face it, business can be a battlefield, especially when you carry a quota. We've taken a look at the ways military training and...

Earlier this month, Gartner unveiled its 2018 Gartner CIO Survey, which summarizes what is top of mind with CIOs moving into 2018. The...

So many of our customers are launching and managing Account Based Marketing (ABM) programs these days. In fact, hardly a day goes by...

When it comes to trends concerning women in the C-Suite, here are some facts: Just 32 Fortune 500 companies are led by women. While...

As a nation we’ve been fixated over the last few weeks on hurricanes and other natural disasters. For those of us at a distance it seems...

Where do you go to connect with talent for your clients? According to Korn Ferry,  52 percent say they turn to their professional...

  To view the latest update on Women CIOs of the Fortune 500 click here. A snail’s pace—that’s the measure of progress we’re seeing when...

In a recent conversation with our sales team, I was asked to write about how our executive profiles can support Sales Development...

Warning:  This qualifies as a professional rant.  When it comes to sales intelligence and business “data” providers, buyer beware. What...

While some look forward to annual Oscar nominations, Nobel prize announcements and baseball Hall of Fame decisions, we at Boardroom...

High-performing sales teams have one thing in common: a commitment to “customer centric selling.” But what does that really mean?

Being more “customer-centric” is a goal that a lot of companies purport to have. CEOs are talking about it on quarterly earnings calls....

Rainmaking can be a fraught endeavor. As a consultant, how do you build your pipeline, thus ensuring a steady stream of business—and...

When we hear the term “customer service,” B2C scenarios tend to come to mind. For most of us, this might involve an online chat session...

Before I started Boardroom Insiders I worked as a consultant to some of the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley, helping them...

If you’re a technology marketer, you’re likely looking at the calendar, anticipating a fall season packed with industry events and...

“The only vendors I take the time to meet with are those that have shown they have done their homework and understand me and my...

As a savvy marketer, you have probably noticed that digital “transformation” has risen to the top of most CEO agendas. And as a result,...

It’s no secret that talent is top-of-mind for today’s business leaders, including Chief Information Officers (CIOs).

It just makes sense that the rigorous training and leadership skills development that are part of serving in the military can be an...

Hi, everybody. We're talking today about C-Suite selling success stories. My name is Sharon Gillenwater, and I'm the founder of...

Engaging the C-suite is key to closing big enterprise deals and driving large-account ABM programs.  An essential ingredient of any ...

Ah, the good old days—when a company’s tech spend was confined to a handful of IT managers because, you know, it’s a tech thing.

Most companies spend too much time worrying about getting customer contact info and not enough time thinking about what they are going...

In 2008, I started Boardroom Insiders because a few of my large clients—mainly Sun Microsystems and Cisco Systems—were starting to talk...

Remember when a company’s tech spend was in the hands mid-level IT managers? These people were relatively easy to reach, spoke the...

Org charts, contact information, and social media links—the trifecta of what some marketers think is adequate background on executive...

What was once perceived as the simple task of convincing someone to buy something you’re selling has snowballed into a very complex,...

  Stories of successful immigrants abound in American business lore. It’s a  phenomenon firmly rooted in our country’s history.

There’s no worse feeling than being unprepared for a meeting with a C-Level Executive. Their time is valuable and if you blow it, there...

There is a lot of thought-provoking content on Twitter about client relationships. This simple but profound tweet by Databox CEO Peter...

According to executive talent search experts, the wrong hire can cost a company up to three times their salary, when you factor in the...

CXO research must be done.  Are you up to doing it yourself? Read any sales and marketing publication and you’re bound to be lectured...

With each profile we publish, Boardroom Insiders is on a quest to gather and curate the most relevant and current information available...

You’re in sales. You’ve got a product to sell. Boom. Done. Then on to the next deal. Your technique? You use the sales enablement tools...

In recent years CEOs have commonly handed off digital to CIOs or have hired Chief Digital Officers to own the digital realm. But as...

Editor’s Note: In April 2017 CSC merged with HP Enterprise Services and the new company was rebranded as DXC Technology. Gosling now...

It's 2017 and IDC sees a future where C-Level executives are going to be more central than ever to critical technology buying...

Are you ready for 2017? Let’s talk about resolutions you can keep when it comes to upping your sales mojo.

Are any of your customers involved in corporate spinoffs? Sales and marketing people are always advised to keep an eye on potential...

Is C-Suite engagement a priority in your sales strategy at your company? If so, you are probably having discussions about how to scale. ...

Every day we hear from sales leaders about how their sales teams are overwhelmed and under prepared when it comes to selling to C-suite...

If you’re like most people, a networking event or cocktail party filled with unfamiliar faces does not top of your list of favorite...

Longing for the good old days? You know, the Mad Men school of closing sales over leisurely three martini lunches or a game of golf?...

  Don't waste their time. Don't waste your time.    Enterprise sales teams are under more pressure than ever. Customer budgets are...

Before I started Boardroom Insiders I worked as a consultant to some of the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley, helping them...

There’s no escaping the fact that we live and conduct business in a social world. Harnessing social technology is clearly now a mandate...

Enterprise sales teams struggling with C-Level executive selling should take a page out of the management consultant’s playbook. Because...

Recently I came across an article called "Back To The Future In Enterprise SaaS Selling.” The authors make the argument that as SaaS...

One of the fundamentals of customer retention is that it generally costs organizations more to acquire a new customer than to keep an...

  We preach a lot about the value of knowing as much as possible about your customer. Having deep insight into their goals and concerns...

Day in and day out we conduct deep research on the c-suite so you don’t have to. We look for CXO insight that helps sales and marketing...

In a recent post we outlined how Salesforce is closing bigger deals faster by engaging CXO decision makers—all the way up to the CEO. ...

As marketers and sales pros, we find irresistible the promise that technology tools will make our jobs easier and help us win more...

LinkedIn is beyond amazing. Those who remember what it was like before LinkedIn know that it has transformed so many aspects of...

Given how pervasive social media has become, you’d think that going on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook would be a sure-fire way to learn...

So, you’ve landed a meeting with a long sought-after customer. Chances are you’ve already done some research to get your foot in the...

At Boardroom Insiders we have what I think is a particularly evocative phrase that we’ve embraced when either describing how we want our...

Here’s a sad but true tale of missed ABM opportunity. A Fortune 100 company spends months of man-hours—and invests in various data...

On a February 2016 earnings call, Salesforce execs crowed about having “the absolute best quarter we have ever had,” capping off “a...

  Stories of successful immigrants abound in American business lore. It’s a  phenomenon firmly rooted in our country’s history.

Being a healthcare CIO involves a tricky balancing act. On the one hand, you’re addressing the fundamentals of any business technology...

The time has long passed since a sales team could assume that a great presentation about their product or service would get them the...

  Congratulations! Your team scored its first sale with a valuable customer. Despite all the hard work, the journey has just begun. Now...

Just when you thought that women were making headway in IT, a survey or two, an expert, and simply what women tell one another force you...

Account-based marketing (ABM) is getting a lot of buzz, and for good reason. Companies with sustained ABM initiatives are seeing...

How prepared are your sales people for their hard-won meetings with prospective customers? According to IDC, nearly 57 percent of B2B...

Reaching millennial customers, managing big data, and dealing with the flood of marketing technology are some of the top challenges for...

For most organizations, January represents a fresh start—and a good time to launch new strategies and initiatives. At least four Fortune...

If your aim is to increase sales of your tech solutions to CIOs and CTOs, your sales force must know how your products and services will...

As you’re strategizing for new business, your staff is probably gathering data, pulling together sales materials, and practicing...

Come 2016, you’ll find new faces in many CEO offices. Organizations like Starwood Hotels, Owens-Illinois, LL Bean, and others have...

The Tyranny of “No Decision” The biggest threat to closing your next big deal may not be the competition. Your biggest threat might be...

Corporate executives at large, global companies live a rarefied existence. They also have immense responsibility. Their organizations...

Sales and marketing leaders from companies across a variety of industries tell us that account-based-marketing (ABM) programs are...

“'It’s great to meet customers. I can get their insights and understand what they’re looking for. What I don’t want to do is sit back...

You’ve worked hard to build strong relationships and trust within your most important accounts. The payoff for all this hard work? A...

We all have them: accounts we’d love to penetrate more. Accounts that, no matter how hard we try, just never grow beyond a few sales...

You wouldn’t use a CRM to court a potential romantic partner. So why do you rely on so much to build a sales relationship?

I know of no one who doesn’t get at least a little bit of the stomach flutters before a cold calling session. Still, as nerve wracking...

Have you heard the one about the veteran sales manager – the one with at least 25 years of experience -- who remembers the days before...

You and your prospect likely have a lot in common. As someone who sells to Fortune 500 executives, C-suite occupants and other...

Success in sales isn’t easy, so it’s important to celebrate the big wins--and draw inspiration from past success when times get tough....

A career in sales can be very lucrative. So much so that many people try their hand at it at least once in their careers. Yet if success...

In sales there is constant pressure to land newer, bigger customers. While acquiring net new customers is important, you may be leaving...

Picture this: A top sales rep at a major financial institution consistently ranks in the top 5% of his peers. He is knowledgeable,...

As salespeople, we don’t like to think of ourselves as solicitors. We are providing solutions that we truly believe in (or should...

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems enable you to compile details about leads and customers so you can target them more...

Your database is full of potential customers, some with a higher closing probability than others, but they all have one thing in...

The goal of sales is to convert prospects into customers, but not every prospect should make the cut. Just because you can do business...

There’s a big difference between a strategic sales pro and a product jockey. Product jockeys wear what they are selling like a name...

2015 seems a long way from the tough economic times of 2008 and 2009, and certainly the economy is much better than it was. But if...

Let’s face it, failure is easy. There are far more ways to fail than there are to succeed. Success takes hard work, commitment,...

The past decade has seen a technological revolution across all industries, and healthcare is no exception. Technology has quickly...

We live in a data-driven world, increasingly enabled by technologies that allow us to measure nearly everything. This is a joy for...

In part 1 of How to Achieve Better Marketing and Sales Alignment, we focused on the critical role communication plays in helping sales...

One of the biggest challenges faced by today’s technology companies is the constant changing of sales representatives. Our customers...

Let’s be honest, the line separating most sales and marketing teams is more like the Great Wall of China than a line in the sand. The...

All it takes is opening your inbox to realize we are living in a world of  information overload. This affects all teams, in every...

The old way of selling is dead. People don’t want to be sold to anymore and they don’t want to waste time with uninformed salespeople....

In an article entitled Your Scarcest Resource, the Harvard Business Review makes the sensible case that "Time is money, but few...

This week the Wall Street Journal's CIO Journal ran an article by two Bain & Company partners entitled, Why Enterprise Technology...

Jeff Henley, Chairman of Oracle Corporation, recently told Forbes that many companies have elevated strategic digital transformation...

The Wall Street Journal's CIO Journal picked up on our Female CIOs blog post but they added a key piece of fascinating insight:

Check out our January 2015 interview with Phil Styrlund, author of Relevance: Matter More. You'll hear:

The disappearance of the COO role is a trend we have definitely noticed over the past few years. 

According to one industry insider, "A lot of CDO (Chief Digital Officer)-type roles are borne out of frustration of CEOs who know they need...

According to the Harvard Business Review, "marketing is rapidly becoming one of the most technology-dependent functions in business." A...

We've written in the past about why personas, while useful, are no substitute for CXO intelligence.

If you get butterflies heading into a meeting with a CXO, you are not alone.

How confident do you feel going into a sales call with an executive decision maker?

In our meetings with enterprise sales leaders, we notice a lot of heads nodding around the room when we talk about:

We have been reading a lot lately--and hearing from our customers who sell cloud-based solutions--about the demise of the enterprise...

In last week's post, we talked about how sales accountability is a critical piece of any CXO engagement initiative. 

Why Our Product Should Make You Uncomfortable

Today sales organizations everywhere are being told to build relationships with CXO level customers.

There's one thing I really need to get off my chest:

When it comes to meetings with C-level executives, a whole new level of sales readiness is required. Unlike your mid-level customers...

We talk to a lot of companies with "CXO engagement" initiatives. Most of them have invested a lot of time and money creating "personas"...

Tips For More Insightful QBRs

Selling to CXOs? What if you could access CXO priorities and personal interests right from Salesforce.com? Now you can, with no hassle,...

A new colleague recently shared a story that shows why you need insight into the C-suite of your largest accounts, even if you don't...

With the availability of increasingly robust CRM systems, we're hearing a lot lately about "360 degree" customer programs, which...

Despite increasing levels of personalization and targeting in the consumer realm, the enterprise has a long way to go when it comes to...

Enterprise Sales and Marketing: Can't We All Just Get Along?

How “Last Mile” Research Can Help You Close Deals—and Save Your Skin

Your customers' priorities are ever-changing.

The first thing to remember if you are trying to engage a CXO is that they are unimaginably busy. They are also surrounded by people...

When does executive insight become critical to your company's future?

Every day we talk with sales pros and account managers who live and breathe a single Fortune 50 customer such as Wal-Mart, Wells Fargo...

CEO Changes = New Sales Opportunities

This Thanksgiving, we at Boardroom Insiders are grateful to be celebrating nearly five years of helping sales pros close bigger deals,...

This is the fourth and final article in our special series on selling to CXOs, using CXOs with known Big Data initiatives ("Big Data...

This is the third of four articles in our special series on engaging Big Data CXOs.

If you are like many of our customers, you have a big data solution and are looking to connect with those who might have a propensity...

Top sales pros unanimously agree that customer intelligence is a critical element of their sales prep.

A new study from Accenture about CIO/CMO collaboration is getting loads of attention.

Having worked on CXO-facing programs for more than a decade, I think I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't when it...

When it comes to being marketed to, we are all experts. As individuals, we are on the receiving end of thousands of “impressions” every...