Eighty percent of high-level decision makers (HLDMs) get involved early in the buying decision process, yet only 5 percent of all salespeople talk to this decision maker. Three-quarters of all salespeople admit to feeling locked in at lower levels and not knowing what to do to get to the HLDM.

High-level value-added selling is selling at the highest levels in an account. Calling on HLDMs means talking to someone who has the ability to say "yes" or "no" to your idea. Generally, this is someone in upper management or a business owner. HLDMs create budgets for ideas they like and pull the plug on projects they feel are a waste of their resources.

Calling on HLDMs shortens your sales cycle, gets you better treatment, and creates additional pull for your idea. There's less competition at the top because most salespeople are too intimidated to call on the HLDM. And HLDMs are not price shoppers. When was the last time you heard an HLDM say, "I don't think there's enough budget money for this idea I really like"?

We questioned a group of salespeople to determine why they failed to call higher in accounts. Here's what they said: "I'm afraid that I will offend my lower-level contact;" "They won't see me;" "I'm intimidated by the HLDM." Lack of confidence, knowledge, or skills seems to hold back most salespeople from calling on the HLDM.

A number of myths surround HLDM's:

• They're difficult to get in to see.
• They're eight feet tall—bigger than life.
• Every HLDM has a Harvard MBA.
• They despise salespeople.
• They're better than you.

HLDM's do not ascend to the top by being aloof. Many came from sales and appreciate the importance of meeting with key decision makers. Today's organizations are flatter, and this makes the HLDM more accessible. They will meet with you if you have something of value to discuss with them.

The first step in selling the HLDM is to understand their personalities. They are more direct. They like to control meetings, processes and decisions. They take measured risks and make calculated decisions. They are visionaries who live their passion, and their success is often tied to their ability to induce others to follow. Consequently, they are strong leaders. Time is one of their most important resources, and they will measure your value by your sense of priority and efficiency.

The things that irritate HLDMs are excessive chit-chat, fire-hose feature-benefit presentations, not understanding their business, canned presentations, and trying to close too early. They do not want to conduct business with salespeople who have a "transaction" mentality. They want to establish business partnerships with people who are more interested in making a difference than just making a deal.

If you make it a habit to penetrate your accounts at the highest levels, you will be in that 5 percent of salespeople who work at the top.