In each coaching session or workshop that I facilitate, we talk about gaining access to executives who will be the beneficiaries of our products or services. These are the folks that are driving initiatives to grow, redeploy assets, or cut costs--or probably all three!

The problem often is how to get an audience with these busy people. Fundamentally, there are four ways to do so:

• Talk to gatekeepers as if they are the executive. Deliver your value proposition and ask for their advice and counsel. If you connect with them, they may very well set up the meeting. Remember that an executive is highly predisposed to accept a meeting if that meeting is established by someone in their organization. They believe someone has already done some vetting for them regarding your message.
• Use a referral from someone outside the organization.  The test here is to make sure that your referring executive/contact has credibility. Arm the referring contact with a brief elevator pitch on why the executive should see you.
• Enroll a sponsor within the client organization. Again, your sponsor must be well respected. This is always the most effective method. It requires that your sponsor have enough trust and confidence in you to invest some political capital.
• Finally, the direct shot. Send an email or letter and follow up with a phone call. Frequently (maybe half the time), this results in a "no." Sometimes you are bounced down the organization--not great, but at least you're engaged. Be gracious in this redirection--you now have the right to come back with some relevant news. This “bounce down” happens for lots of reasons, and most of them are OK. Do not despair. Finally, the executive might indeed accept your request for a meeting (maybe 10% of the time with the direct shot).

Now make this a very valuable meeting for them!