Clever Ways to Reach C-Level Executives for Business- Beverly Solomon

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Kevin Price, Host of the Price of Business on Business Talk 1110 AM KTEK (on Bloomberg’s home in Houston) recently interviewed Beverly Solomon.

About the interviewee 

Beverly Solomon was a model and then an account executive in sales
and marketing for Diane Von Furstenberg, Revlon and Ralph Lauren. She
now runs a successful international art and design firm north of Austin.
She has been featured in 8 books, numerous major newspapers & magazines,
on TV and radio. She also has received coverage in a number of financial
publications and was given official recognition by the State of Texas
for her business savvy.

See www.beverlysolomon.com

http://www.beverlysolomon.com

Beverly is married to internationally recognized artist and award
winning Green designer Pablo Solomon.

Tell me about your firm (number of employees, location, type of companies you work with, etc.). 

I run an international art & design company. We are located near Austin, Texas.  I do the business and my husband artist and award winning designer Pablo Solomon handles the art and design. We have been in business for over 20 years. When we get projects, we hire contract employees–usually from 2 to 12. Because we are offering design work and the art that goes with it, we work with a variety of companies.

Tell us why it is important to for you to pitch to the CEO.

Since my business is high end art and design, the final pitch is usually
made to the top of the rung as they normally make the final decisions.
The design work that we do is very personally tailored to the needs of
the client. And our art is not only decorative, but investment grade as
well.
To make the sale, our client must literally fall in love with the
design/art. Yet it must also meet budgets and be shown to be of value
now and have possible investment value going into the future.

Tell us your story about reaching C-Level executives to do business? 

I have experience not only with my own business, but also when I was an executive in sales and marketing for Diane von Furstenberg, Revlon and Ralph Lauren. With those companies, I pitched products, opened accounts, set up promotions,etc. for major retail chains like Sears, Penny’s, Macy’s, Foley’s, Neiman Marcus, etc. In our business we mainly have worked with high tech and investment firms.

Do you know of other examples of businesses being creative in this endeavor?

The creativity is in the products and services which I sell. By the time you are dealing with the people running the company, they are looking for products that sell and/or services that are top notch and a value.

What lessons, if any, do you derive from these stories?

That successful businesses of all levels are open to products and services which will improve the bottom line.

What are some unique things you have done to get the attention of CEOs?

In today’s world, the fact that we are prepared, offered top quality and value is unique in itself.

Tell us about the type of companies with which you like to do business.

Kevin, let me make this one simple–companies that are not going broke and that will actually pay their bills. We try to make certain that the companies with which we work are solvent and have a reputation of paying up.

What suggestions do you have for others trying to reach CEOs.

In general CEOs are easier to work with than are flunkies. The CEOs know what they want and they recognize good products, service and value as it relates to their goals. Going through the various levels to reach CEOs can be excruciating. So we always try to begin at the highest level within the company that we can reach. Usually reaching the CEOs or other high level executives is not so difficult for us and we are usually being contacted as the result of a referral. Also Pablo and I have been in 35 books, most of the major magazines and newspapers, TV, radio and even film–so we have outstanding name recognition.

Contact information:

www.beverlysolomon.com