Thanks for joining us for our third week in this series: Pitching the Controller
The Controllers role is to mitigate financial risk while identifying ways the company could do more with less. The difference between the under 20 seat and over 20 seat company for this position title is that in a smaller firm the Controller is likely still fulfilling the role of bookkeeper in addition to that of the Controller, and in a larger firm the Controller is managing a team that supports day to day accounting processes. The pitch is the same, but the level of difficulty in reaching the Controller will be significantly higher in larger firms. If you know the name of the Controller, we have a great tip to get you around the voicemail screen. We shared that this week in our newsletter, so if you’re not yet signed up, I encourage you to do that by filling out the form here! To those of you who have already signed up – Thank You, and I hope you continue to find our posts informative and helpful!
My best advice pitching to this role is this: pay attention to your timing! The last three weeks of the month are good, the first week is not. Don’t pitch the last few weeks of the quarter, and don’t pitch the entire month before tax day. (That’s April 15 in the US. End of June in Canada) There are other points of entry you can pursue at tax time.
Always ask permission to proceed with this title. You have no idea what they’re in the middle of. Payroll will always trump a sales pitch, but since there isn’t really a predictable pattern to avoid, you’ll have to ask the straightforward “Is now a good time to talk?” If so; great! If not, try to get a commitment for a calendared discussion, or ask them for a recommendation for another point of contact within the company. That way you can engage someone new with the warm introduction of the Controller, which will lend some weight to your discussion. “I spoke with Frank earlier today, and he suggested we have a conversation.”
Assuming they are free to chat, the first thing you’ll want to learn is how they are currently receiving their IT Support, so you can focus on one of two different pitches.
Pitching to replace their in-house IT
If they have an in-house IT “guy”, you will be able to present a tremendous argument for a fixed-fee managed services relationship. It won’t be a fast close, but it will begin what could be a very lucrative win for you down the road. Be delicate. You’re talking about replacing someone that they work with. We suggest inviting them to your offices for the first meeting vs. visiting them on-site. They are going to be uncomfortable with the idea of you coming there for what is likely a very preliminary meeting unless your timing is perfect.
Lead with financials. No overtime. Predictable invoices. Support 24/7 and 365 — all for less than they are paying currently. Then, discuss other things you can offer. Better and more current certifications, for example. More experience. Fresh eyes. A team of experts vs. one likely overburdened IT “guy”. Explore their disaster recovery or business continuity planning especially as it applies to financial risks. One of the best questions we’ve added to our talking points this year is this one: “Could your company survive a financial breach, and are you certain you’re 100% protected against one?”
Pitching to replace a competitor
The Controller will have a very good understanding of what their current invoicing looks like for their IT partner. They likely manage all contracts as well, so they will know exactly when that relationship will potentially be ending. They will be able to quickly do the math on whether or not you are bringing value to the table and they will be able to tell you when you may be considered.
One thing we love to present here is the fractional CIO relationship combined with the NHA. If their current provider isn’t meeting with them quarterly to discuss their network, current trends and threats and plan for changes and company growth, this is an excellent service to lead with. “We meet with our clients every quarter to review their network health reports with them. We suggest ways they can better leverage their technology investments. This service is included in our flat rate monthly quote. It is offered in addition to our day to day proactive monitoring and maintenance. When was the last time you had a complete IT systems review?” You can continue on to discuss the value of the Network Health Assessment, and ask for the meeting.
For larger companies, we have a saying around here. Most of the time, if someone who isn’t involved in managing the network day to day, can drop the name of the IT firm they work with immediately. You have a real opportunity to win this business, because there’s a reason they know the name. It’s coming up a lot. That means it’s time for contract negotiations, or there have been issues. Nobody really remembers the name of the provider they never have to call.
Remember, the Controller’s role is very cost-focused. You don’t want to win business by being cheaper, you want to win business by being better. If their current provider is considerably less expensive and they don’t perceive there to be any issues then this isn’t the right title to pitch.
Thanks for reading – hope you had a great long weekend – and Happy Selling!