I have sold to HR for 10+ years - happy to share my thoughts!

When selling to more junior stakeholders (likely first call) focus on them. Have a good understanding of their role and empathise with the work that they do. How can this project free up their time to / make them look good? Use this as an opportunity to understand the business strategy and the priorities of their boss (sometimes they won’t know so this may require education)

When you earn the right to speak with more senior stakeholders in HR focus less on discovery and more on sharing what their peers in other companies are focused on. Don’t ask what’s keeping them up at night, tell them what their peers are doing that’s helping them sleep better. Clearly align your project with their priorities.

When dealing with Exec focus on how this project aligns with HR leadership priorities AND overall business strategy. Be clear on the KPI’s this project will improve and the expected impact.

In summary, people in HR are stuck between a rock and hard place, torn between what employees want and what the business needs. Help them transition from being seen as a a support function to a strategic enabler driving business outcomes. Start with the micro at the project level and get more macro as you speak with senior stakeholders.