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Introduction
 I
am incredibly
excited to write
the introduction
to this book,
because I’ve
seen first hand
how the concepts
outlined here
work, and work
well. You see,
my company
purchased a
software package
from Mark Kuta,
and I was the
C-Level
executive in
charge of the
purchase. After
reading
Think Like a CEO,
I now clearly
see how Mark
executed his
sales strategy.
By the time the
project got to
me for final
approval,
everyone on my
team was behind
it because it
was aligned with
the overall
direction I was
driving. Capital
investment
decisions come
to me, and rest
assured that
when these
projects are
aligned with my
Profit
Strategies it
makes the
decision much
easier to make.
Too many
potential
supplier sales
representatives
are selling what
they believe the
sale is centered
on – the
product. Others
attempt to sell
their products
based on the
solution sets –
which is
primarily based,
once again, on
the attributes
of the product.
If I were to
give advice to
the sales teams
that call on me
– and other
C-Level
executives – it
would be to
understand the
company’s Profit
Strategies, and
get your product
aligned with
them. It would
also be to read
Think Like a CEO.
The tools
outlined in this
book make for a
powerful
presentation,
and you will
increase your
chances of
closing the
sale. And never
forget - you are
providing a
better service
for your
customer, as
chances are,
your product
will drive their
profitability.
By the way, the
deal we did with
Mark proved of
tremendous value
to our
organization.
As a senior
executive of a
multinational
company, I face
challenges every
day. It was
interesting
reading in
Think Like a CEO
about the
Fundamental
Football Profit
Strategy,
because this
concept is
something that I
strive to
execute to. I
drive results by
having everyone
in my
organization
understand our
strategy, as
well as the
value that each
of them can
individually
drive within it.
Only when we are
all on board and
looking at the
same scorecards
can we
collectively
achieve the ever
higher goals
that management
hands us. I will
use Mark’s book
as a key
resource to
organizing and
aligning my team
for success.
Finally, I
believe that
after reading
Think Like a CEO,
you don’t have
to be in sales
to get
tremendous value
from this book.
I can tell you
from experience
that in today’s
global world,
many managers
have a difficult
enough time just
keeping up. Ten
years ago, a
supply chain
manager was
responsible for
buying a
commodity of
parts, keeping
his supplier on
schedule, and
minimizing the
cost of the
commodity.
Today, with
suppliers all
over the globe,
and companies
outsourcing more
manufacturing,
that supply
chain manager
must deal with a
whole new set of
problems.
Profitability
now lies in the
hands of the
lowest levels of
the
organization.
That same supply
chain manager is
the first to
develop
strategies to
increase value
and must be able
to analyze these
strategies, and
fight for budget
to get them
implemented.
Losing this
internal battle
means losing
market share,
and by the time
a senior
executive like
me recognizes
what is
happening, well,
it may be too
late. Someone
else sitting
across the globe
has acted faster
and captured the
business, the
capacity, or the
market share.
That is
something that
is absolutely
unacceptable to
me and my
organization.
So, no matter
where you work
in your
organization,
buy this book on
a Friday, read
it over the
weekend, and
walk into work
the next Monday
better prepared
to deliver
value.
David Clarke
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