Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  August 25, 2026

The Smartest Way to Pitch Executive Buyers

Whoa. Boathouse’s Fifth Annual CEO study shows a big paradox that those of us selling to executives can drive a semi -trailer truck of opportunities through. Here’s what I mean.

On one hand, respondents appear optimistic about  their growth strategy. (Confession: I couldn’t stop laughing after reading that 91% of CEOs believe their personal influence meets or exceeds McKinsey benchmarks.) To implement their vision, CEOs spend the most energy on organizational alignment (45%) and strategy development (37%.)

Here’s the paradox: CEOs mandate sales growth but the rest of the organization can’t deliver because employees are fighting for their professional lives while AI steadily eliminates responsibilities. These executives know where they want to go. The problem is getting there.

Knowing there’s a problem and believing it’s urgent makes getting outside help a no-brainer. So where should advisors focus their pitch? On two things: 1) execution and 2) anything that helps drive sales growth. What shouldn’t we try to sell? A new strategy.

Too many of us focus on what we offer and assume that our contribution is needed. When selling to executives, start instead with what potential clients already believe they need and build your pitch around that.

Now Read This:

• Performance Metrics That Drive CEO Decisions
• Competitive Branding for B2B Professional Service Firms

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