There’s nothing more frustrating than getting your prospect’s commitment to buy — before realizing they’re not the decision maker. It’s going to take much longer to get the deal done than you’d anticipated (that is, if you close at all). Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence for sales reps. However, you can avoid the situation completely by researching your contacts and asking the right questions during the discovery process. Before we discuss how to find the decision maker, let’s get clear on who the decision maker is. During the sales process, the decision maker is the individual who can make the authoritative decision to make a purchase without having to confer to anyone else. In B2B sales, they are typically in the C-suite and sign the check when the sale is made. When looking for the decision maker, do not reach out to the first person you can get ahold of and ask, "Are you the decision maker?"Everyone wants to feel important and valued, even if they’re not the ones signing on the dotted line. This question could make your point of contact feel unimportant. The first person you talk to will usually be a gatekeeper, who is still a valuable contact to have. Sabotage this relationship, and you’ll lose their influence. Let’s review how to identify and connect with decision makers the right way. First and foremost, make sure you are clear on the value your offering provides so you are ready to have a meaningful conversation with the decision maker when the time comes. As you begin identifying who to reach out to, outline the benefits of your product, and be able to clearly articulate how your product can be of value. As a sales professional, you are no stranger to buyer personas and you likely have your ideal customer clearly mapped out. When looking for the decision maker, you should take the same approach. Before approaching a company looking for the right contact, make sure you understand what qualities that contact should have. This will help narrow down your search. Some key qualities of a decision maker include: You may want to refer to your CRM to review commonalities among decision makers who you have sold to in the past. Keep these qualities in mind as you identify your decision maker. Next, learn as much as you can about their company. Familiarize yourself with their org chart to understand how the company is structured. Look to see if they have been mentioned in the press. Understand what is happening in their industry as a whole. This will give you the information you need to deliver a strong pitch to the right person. Many professionals keep their LinkedIn profiles up-to-date with their title and information about their statement of work. If using your personal LinkedIn profile to search for contacts isn’t bringing the results you’re looking for, LinkedIn Sales Navigator (with plans starting at $64.99 per month) has advanced search functionality to make pinpointing the right contact even easier. With advanced filtering on LinkedIn you can search for specific job titles at the company you are looking to get in contact with, allowing you to pinpoint exactly who you’re looking for. Once you identify your contacts, look to see if you have any common connections. These connections can help make referrals or can verify if the person you want to get in touch with is, in fact, the right decision maker for your sale. A gatekeeper is typically an executive assistant or associate who has direct contact with the decision maker. In many instances, it is challenging to connect with the decision maker without connecting with the gatekeeper first. This can actually be a good thing, as gatekeepers are often a valued partner to the decision maker. By building trust with the gatekeeper, you can gain a trusted ally who can help you identify the right decision maker, and who can vouch for you when it comes time to pitch the sale. Once you have a contact on the phone who can point you in the right direction, you can begin asking qualifying questions lead you to the right decision maker. Use the following list of 25 questions to figure out the ultimate decision maker is without stepping on any toes. Who are the decision makers in a company?
How to find decision makers in a company
1. Know your unique value proposition.
2. Create a decision maker persona.
3. Research the company.
4. Use LinkedIn to learn more about your contact.
5. Identify common connections.
6. Connect with an associated gatekeeper.
7. Ask qualifying questions.
Qualifying Questions About the Decision Maker
Topics: Account Based Sales