It's the meeting you've been waiting for. Finally, you've been able to secure a meeting with the CEO of the company you know you can help. For the past year, you've been researching the company and developing relationships with as many people as possible. In particular, you have gotten to know the two gatekeepers who have been, up to now, blocking your way to the CEO. Last week your call to the administrative assistant finally hit home and you're on the CEO's calendar in three weeks.

Now is the time to get ready. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share these tips for C-suite preparation.

1. Set up Google Alerts to receive any updates that appear on the internet for the company, the person you're going to meet and the other top people in the company with whom the CEO interacts.

2. If the company is publically traded, read its annual reports and quarterly filings, and listen to recordings of quarterly investor calls.

3. Benchmark the company with its major competitors to determine how it compares.

4. Identify the strategic objectives on which the company is working. In particular, learn all you can about the CEO's key initiatives.

5. Monitor the news to determine if there are any political or newsworthy events that could affect either the CEO or the company. Monitor the trade journals and industry websites that pertain to the company's industry.

6. Know the educational background of the CEO and identify any key alumni and school events with which the CEO may be connected.

Use the information you obtain from the activities listed above to help you develop a list of peer comments or questions you can share with the gatekeeper or CEO if the opportunity arises.These are things you can share briefly that allow him or her to see that you are aware of the environment in which the company operates—and that you are comfortable talking about those things.

Making a peer comment/question part of your opening dialogue will reassure the CEO that he or she is not wasting time with someone who does not understand how valuable the CEO's time is. It also demonstrates that you comprehend his or her level of decision-making responsibility.

If you have managed to land that all-important meeting with a CEO, don't delay in your preparation. Invest the effort and time now so you can experience the valuable dividends later.

Source: Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, is author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price. He is a consultative selling expert committed to helping individuals and companies identify better prospects and close more profitable sales.