Published 12 February 2025

Beyond the C-Suite: Engaging Mid-Level Managers for Sales Success

Beat your competitors and exceed your revenue goals this year by shifting your focus from the C-suite to mid-level managers. They’re easier to reach, have a ton of influence, and can champion your brand to key decision-makers. We’ll discuss why middle managers are valuable, clear up some common misconceptions, and show how you can start using this strategy today.

Common Misconceptions About Targeting Only the C-Suite

If your sales team only targets C-suite and VP-level executives, you’re leaving money on the table. Targeting decision-makers is a tried-and-true strategy but isn’t the only way to secure lucrative deals.

The good news is your competitors probably hold this misconception, at least for now, leaving you a wide-open market of lesser-pursued mid-level managers.

Think about it. Engaging mid-level managers is pivotal in the sales process and strategic account management as executives rely heavily on their input. They hold the keys to the decision-makers, can have significant influence, and are easier to start and build relationships with.

Let’s explore why mid-level managers matter, common misconceptions, and how you can leverage this untapped segment to ramp up your revenue.

Why Mid-Level Managers Are Critical

It’s time to shift our sales focus away from high-level executives. While landing a deal with them can be a big win, getting there can take considerable time and effort. Sometimes, it can take months to reach such an executive.

Mid-level managers are more accessible and can be even more impactful than their executive counterparts. Here’s why:

Influence: Mid-level managers are uniquely positioned to influence major buying decisions by evaluating and presenting recommendations to higher management.
Knowledge: Mid-level managers know how to approach operational challenges strategically and on a day-to-day basis, making them key information providers.
Advocacy: If you can get mid-level managers behind your solution, they can become advocates for your solution and drive buy-in up the ladder.

Think about how much more effective your pitch could be if it came to an executive from a mid-level manager who sees the value of what you offer.

If your sales strategy doesn’t focus on engaging middle management, you could be missing out on key decision influencers. In addition to the possibility of competitors seizing your missed opportunities, you risk a few things, such as:

Executives dismissing your proposals due to a lack of internal buy-in
Missed insights from knowledgeable managers on how to address key needs
Extended sales cycles when executive teams delay decisions while they await manager validation

Mid-level managers aren’t just a second-best option—they’re crucial to engage as they bridge the gap between daily operations and executive strategy.

The Influence of Mid-Level Managers in the Sales Process

Let’s take a closer look at the various roles that mid-level managers play and why this makes them key players in B2B sales.

They wear many hats. Mid-level managers are gatekeepers protecting and controlling access to the higher decision-making executive team.

They’re validators who work closely with executives to provide key input before they ever make a decision. Also, even though the executive may make the final decision, it’s the manager who has to act as implementer of that decision.

If you can establish a strong relationship with the easier-to-access mid-level manager, you can leverage each of these roles to create a win-win-win situation.

As gatekeepers, they can grant you access to executives you wouldn’t have had before. As validators, they can go to bat for your solution and recommend it if it suits their needs. If not, you can have a fruitful conversation about how you can better address pain points, daily challenges, and solve their problems.

As implementors, they’ll be the ones using your solution, so if you can demonstrate that it indeed makes their lives easier, you’ll have a higher chance of success. Without all of this, you simply won’t get as far and won’t typically have the leeway to create a conversation around how to best pitch, offer, or implement your solution.

Common Misconceptions: The Limits of Targeting Only the C-Suite

In case you’re still a bit skeptical of this slightly unorthodox approach, let’s briefly clear up a few misconceptions.

Common Misconceptions of Targeting Only the C-Suite

Misconception 1: Executives Decide Everything

This is the biggest misconception, and the reason we’re writing this post. We want to shift away from this mindset. It may be the executive that makes the final decision and puts their stamp of approval, but they only do so based on their team’s input.

They rely heavily on the opinions of the mid-level managers we’re talking about, and these executives lean on them to research, evaluate, and implement solutions.

Misconception 2: Mid-Level Managers Have No Power

Likewise, there is a misconception that managers have no power. Wrong again! There’s a reason that mid-level managers are given control of operational decisions, day-to-day proceedings, and large budgets within their departments.

Again, their higher ups count on them to vet solutions and to validate their value or else they wouldn’t bother presenting them to the executive team.

Misconception 3: Direct Executive Outreach Is Faster

Executives are not faster or easier to reach than mid-level managers. If anything, you have to deal with more stringent gatekeeping around executives. Should you get through to an executive but lack the mid-level backing we’ve discussed, it often leads nowhere or backfires. If you can build a relationship with middle managers and gain that valuable feedback and validation, you’re highly likely to succeed.

Building Relationships with Mid-Level Managers

To get started, building a relationship with mid-level managers is as simple as any professional relationships. It all starts with respect, value, the right approach, and long-term thinking.

1. Show Respect

Approach managers with respect. These are usually veteran employees who know their stuff and are under a lot of pressure to deliver on their responsibilities.

It’s important to consider all of these factors as you get in touch with them, and it may help to respectfully acknowledge their expertise.

2. Offer Value

Sales teams know this best—everyone is prone to think in terms of what’s in it for them. Be prepared to offer serious value from the outset, as they’re typically focused on solving real problems.

You might share tailored insights to their business processes or data that shows how your solution helps drive their goals or solve specific pain points.

3. Open the Conversation

If your sales team is used to going for the hard sale, you might tweak your approach with mid-level managers. They’ll be more open to discussing your solution, so it’s less of a win or loss pitchfest and more of a collaboration. Approach this conversation accordingly. Ask questions as you go to uncover pain points and needs.

Position your solution as a tool to simplify their workflow. Then, be ready to receive valuable feedback before adjusting your approach as needed.

4. Show Long-Term Commitment

If they do provide feedback, show that you value their input, and open to making changes to suit their needs. This could open up the door to future follow ups, demos, or pilot programs.

Send consistent communication (without pestering, of course) to foster long-term trust, and include information they might find interesting or valuable. That might be relevant content like industry articles, blog posts, conferences or it might be more specific to your discussion like case studies, ideas for implementation, suggestions, and so on.

The goal is to build trust and deliver value. If you can do this, you can leverage mid-level managers that can become advocates for your brand, opening up more doors than ever before.

Don’t Leave Money on the Table: Engage Mid-Level Management Today

It’s time to forget everything we know about solely VP and C-suite marketing. While other sales teams fight for small slivers of some executive’s time, you can be building relationships with the mid-level managers who actually help shape the decision-making process.

Unlike those who view middle management as obstacles in the way of success, you can leverage their input and influence to win the deal before it even reaches the C-suite.

Targeting these mid-level managers is like a cheat code for sales success. So, how will you approach these highly valuable leads? Will you wait until your competitor secures the deal? Or will you take the lead in shaping the conversation?

If you haven’t been building relationships at this level, now is the time to start. The sales teams that recognize this advantage today will be the ones closing more deals tomorrow.