How To Approach IT Executives

Take it from a veteran CIO: The people who run the IT organization are not so much interested in hearing you pitch your products and services as they are in learning how you can help ease their business pain and pressures.

"It's less about trying to sell what you have to an audience. It's more about understanding what are the CIOs' priorities, what are the critical opportunities and challenges that they're facing, and do you have services or products that match up to those opportunities and challenges," said Larry Bonfante, a former CIO and business executive who now runs CIO Bench Coach, which provides consulting and coaching to IT executives.

Bonfante (pictured) offered advice to IT vendors Monday at Midsize Enterprise East, hosted by ITBestOfBreed's parent, The Channel Company. Click through to read his four tips on how your sales staff should talk with IT executives.