Contrary to the common belief that CEOs don’t have time for social media, this is far from true. In a recent lead generation campaign, we managed to capture the contact details of one of the most influential CEOs in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector. He voluntarily left his mobile phone number and private email in a lead generation form for one of our client’s webinars.
CEOs engage with social media differently. They don’t spend hours scrolling through their feeds but instead search for specific information, read content from a select few they follow, or review material curated for them by assistants and key subordinates. In my business, I have reached out to CEOs and C-suite executives through various means—personal referrals, cold outreach via phone in the past, LinkedIn in recent years, and targeted lead generation campaigns like the one I mentioned earlier.
In the past 10 to 20 years, personal introductions were the key to capturing a CEO’s attention. However, in the 2020s, digital presence has taken center stage. Regardless of how you connect with a CEO—whether through a referral or a simple LinkedIn invitation—your digital profile is the first thing they will evaluate before engaging in any conversation.
How to Get Their Attention?
The first step is to build an authentic social media profile with high-quality content. Avoid oversimplifying your posts for mass appeal or using low-level humor to grab attention. CEOs don’t engage with viral content because they value well-crafted professional insights, which are often misunderstood by the general audience. It’s the difference between enjoying a meal at McDonald’s, favored by millions, versus dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant—an experience not everyone fully appreciates.
CEOs may not get “niche” terminology or industry-specific jokes, and if your post fails to resonate with them, its value is lost. Consider the one sentence someone might use to introduce you to a CEO and place that in your LinkedIn headline. Avoid excessive personal details about your family and friends—most business leaders value privacy, and if they see that you don’t, it may signal that you’re not on their level. Introductions, referrals, and outreach campaigns are just technical steps, but building an authentic and strong personal profile that compels a CEO to respond takes years.
The Technical Side of Reaching Out
When reaching out via LinkedIn, ensure your proposal falls within the CEO’s area of interest and responsibility. For large corporations, most operational matters should be directed to VPs responsible for specific divisions. CEOs only handle issues of strategic importance, such as major investment opportunities, corporate shifts, high-profile event invitations, crisis management, and meetings with fellow CEOs or government officials. If you’re uncertain whether your proposal is relevant to a CEO, it’s better to approach their assistant, VP, or senior manager first to determine the appropriate point of contact.
There are exceptions. Depending on a CEO’s background, they may take a personal interest in certain niche topics. In one instance, I secured a meeting with the CEO of a major luxury consumer brand in the UAE. Though procurement decisions were typically handled by a VP, the CEO personally reviewed my product offering due to his expertise in the field. If you’re offering digital transformation services and the CEO has a background in IT, they might engage directly despite having a CTO who usually handles such matters.
The next step is sending a connection request. You don’t need to include a 300-character message, and you shouldn’t expect an immediate response. Many CEOs don’t manage their LinkedIn accounts personally—assistants often handle them. Some CEO accounts are even restricted from receiving invitations unless you have their personal email. In such cases, finding a connection through a manager or assistant is the best approach. Ultimately, their assistant or CEO themselves will evaluate your profile before engaging. Once your invitation is accepted, avoid immediately sending a full pitch. Instead, start with a short message to gauge interest before sharing more details.
The Importance of Patience
Don’t follow up. One common trait among CEOs is their ability to make quick decisions. If your message resonates with them, they will respond immediately or delegate your proposal to the right person within their organization. Following up unnecessarily may damage your credibility.
There are alternative ways to capture a CEO’s attention. Paid campaigns on Linkedin where you can target them by job title, for example, can be highly effective. While CEOs don’t spend much time on social media, they do occasionally log in, often not scrolling too much of their feed, in which paid ads always come on top. In one such campaign, we connected with one of the most influential figures in the GCC healthcare industry. He left his private email and mobile number in a lead generation form with a simple note: “Let’s discuss advisory services.” Although he never attended the webinar the form was intended for, we got an opportunity to start a direct conversation with him via email.
Today, reaching out to a top CEO is easier than it was 10 years ago. However, creating a compelling value proposition and getting a decent response requires years of learning, meticulous preparation, and a diplomatic approach to earn their respect and be treated as an equal.
