10 Ways to Win Over Your CFO

10 Ways to Win Over Your CFO

Depending upon your company’s maturity, he’s either a builder (hired within the first five years), an enabler (hired after the first five years) or protector (post-IPO or after a decision to remain private).

Do research. Read analysts’ reports. Talk to peers. Demonstrate how tech decisions led to business-serving initiatives.

Like anyone else, CFOs like to buy good things. But don’t get too hyped by overselling here. Stick to what’s proven and documentable.

A CFO is primarily concerned with an IT acquisition’s impact on cash flow versus earnings, allocation of resources and timing. You need to figure out how the last part will impact the first two.

Find ones within your industry which demonstrate how the tech acquisition in question helped companies solve “real” problems.

You’ll have to answer lots of sharp questions: Is this new tech or is it replacing something old? If the latter, why is it outdated? Is this a one, three or five year investment? License or subscription?

So ask for more than you need, so you have room to give something up.

Hint: Anything beyond three years is not soon enough.

Never at the end of a quarter, because that’s when the CFO is squaring books while helping sales close deals. And not during any board-meeting week.

The sweet spot of IT-acquisition pitch timing: Sometime during Q3, when funds are often uncommitted.