Selling to the CFO

Understanding the CFO perspective is becoming increasingly crucial to closing deals in today’s economy. This week, we’re sharing some highlights of the best wisdom shared by financial leaders on our show.

Tune in as Six-time CFO and Board Advisor Murray Demo, Drift CFO Jim Kelliher, and Managing Director of Madrona Venture Group Hope Cochran talk forecasting, budgeting, and what a CFO’s priorities really are when the economy presents challenges. Whether you’re a seller, a champion, or a leader, you’ll get a valuable glimpse into the mind of a CFO on this episode of Revenue Builders.
 

Here are some key sections to check out: 

02:14 Murray Demo on giving the decision-making power to the CIO

20:51 Jim Kelliher on value, forecasting metrics, and accurate forecasting

29:50 Hope Cochran on balancing forecasts, accuracy, and transparency
 

Additional Resources:

• Connect with Murray Demo:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/murray-demo-59a31117/
• Connect with Jim Kelliher:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-kelliher-8a3100/
• Connect with Hope Cochran:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-cochran-96433738/
• Help Sellers Chart The Buyer Landscape: https://forc.mx/3mGU5Eq
   

QUOTES

Murray on giving the decision-making power to the CIO: “I would never take a CFO job unless IT reported to me. So in any software purchase, I felt that if I got too involved too early, I undermined the CIO, and instead of it being sort of their decision and their commitment to the success of implementing that software, because I got too involved in it, I let them off the hook.”
 

Hope on balancing forecasts, accuracy, and transparency: 

“I want to establish the ability for everyone to be as transparent and honest as they can and to take the game plan out of it. I know that's hard, and I know that there are a lot of reasons why the game plan comes in, people have career ambitions, etc. But that's the moment where we can all help each other.”