4 Proven Strategies To Easily Reach Decision Makers & Boost Your Sales
You’ve spent weeks crafting the perfect pitch for your unparalleled service or product. You are sure it will bring value to new customers. There’s just one small issue: you’re presenting to someone who doesn’t have the authority to seal the deal.
In order to make the most of your time and prospects, finding the right person who can sign off on the purchase is essential. Before our digital age there was usually one decision maker who would analyse seven suppliers. Now, we usually have seven decision makers who discuss whether or not to proceed with one supplier. And yes, in case something’s off they easily hop to the next one.
Sounds difficult? Not to worry! We are sharing our tips to help you reach the right decision makers.
Every organization – no matter how big or small – operates with a decision making hierarchy. Identifying and understanding the different types of decision makers can enhance your approach and the effectiveness of your pitch. Knowing whom to approach, when and how can streamline your efforts and make more meaningful connections.
First, learn about the companies you’re looking for.
Perhaps you have already done this, but identifying your ideal customer and buyer persona is critical in kicking off the sales process. Both of these will impact who you’re targeting and how. Not all companies and buyers are alike. Depending on the size of the company, you may need to look for different types of individuals who oversee the purchasing process:
- Companies with less than ten employees: Here, the CEO is usually the decision maker.
- Companies with up to 50 employees: Usually the VP’s of the department are the decision makers here.
- Companies from 50 to 500 employees: These type of companies usually have department managers that are in charge of the decision making process, like Sales, Marketing or Product Development Managers.
- More than 500 employees: Here, you want to look for a regional manager or someone in a specialized role.
Then, find out who your decision maker is
There are many types of decision makers. We’ll walk through five of them.
Now you know what kind of company you’re looking for, let’s have a look at the five primary types of decision maker types you will likely encounter in your B2B journey.
The Finance Gatekeeper
Typically with a title like CFO, COO or Chief Revenue Officer, these people guard the organization’s purse strings. Before getting to this person you might have to go through a team member or a Director of Finance. Regardless of the title they have, their primary concerns revolve around budgets, profitability and financial health. Their job is to evaluate all purchasing decisions for their financial implications: is this a sound investment? WIll it yield a strong ROI?
When you are dealing with financial gatekeepers, make sure that your sales conversations are prepared with data. Highlight cost savings and potential revenue, growth or any other financial incentives your solution offers. Case studies and ROI projections are great tools to persuade this person.
The Technical Expert
They often carry titles like CTO, Technical Director or Lead Engineer. They are key stakeholders and are the tech experts of the organization. They are interested in everything technical about your product; how it functions, its integration capabilities, scalability and the compatibility with their existing systems.
Technical experts welcome technical jargon that might be strange to others. Be prepared to get into the small details because they want to know about them! You can offer them live demos, technical whitepapers and product API documentation. They appreciate transparency and thoroughness.
The User
This group consists of people who are typically found in managers or team lead positions and are the end users of your product or service. Their concerns are hands-on and practical: ‘’How will this impact the daily workflow?’’ and ‘’Is it user friendly?’’
A hands on approach works best with these decision makers. Offer product trials, training sessions and in-depth demos. Gather their feedback during these trials and be ready to showcase how your product can be tailored to their specific needs.
The Executive
They are the top-tier decision makers (aka the end boss). Their roles include CEO, COO or President. They have a macro perspective, so they are interested in how decisions align with the company’s mission, vision and long-term strategy.
With these decision makers, you want to be concise and strategic. Specify how your product aligns with the company’s broader objectives and how it can offer a competitive advantage in the market. Showcasing success stories helps them to showcase your expertise.
The Secret Influencer
While they are not at the top of the hierarchy, these people do have a great influence within the process of decision making. They could be mid-level managers, team leaders or even enthusiastic sales people who see the potential in your solution. They are your internal advocates and support you for your cause.
A strong relationship with these people will make them advocate for your product or service. Therefore, providing them with all the tools necessary is important. This could include presentations, internal marketing materials, data that supports their arguments and so on. Their success in rooting for your product is mutually beneficial.
Find out their pain
Despite what people think, we are not always aiming for the top in the hierarchy. We are always looking for the one who experiences the ‘pain’ the most, which in many cases could be someone who operates more from the bottom of the hierarchy. They will support your story once ready to pitch to others.
Now you know who you’re targeting. Let’s have a look at our best strategies to reach out to decision makers.
Strategy 1: Leverage LinkedIn
We said it before and we’ll say it again: LinkedIn is one of the best platforms – if not the best platform – to find decision makers and conduct B2B business.
It takes eight cold call attempts to reach a prospect. But it’s no longer a cold call when someone already knows you, or is willing to introduce you. If you can find a direct connection by taking a look through profiles of top positions at the company you’re looking to make movement with is a great strategy.
Make sure you check the following:
- How long have they been working at this company? If the CMO only has been there for two months but the Director of Marketing three years, the latter will have more influence.
- Check their endorsements. They will give you a picture of what tools they use, their managerial skills or any tactical skills that would help the buying process.
- What’s on their profile? Do they mention being the manager of the strategy for their department? If that’s the case, it’s a good sign you’ve found the right person.
Strategy 2: Map the organization
If you had a look through LinkedIn and still having trouble figuring out who is best to reach out to, the next step would be mapping out the organization you’re targeting. You can do this by using Sales Navigator’s advanced search, they even have sorting with decision makers relevance now.
Once mapped out, you will have a clear overview of the organization, who are decision makers, gatekeepers and influencers. You then know who to target.
Strategy 3: Read the news
Especially in tech startups, roles are always shifting and a bit more dynamic. Subscribing to newsletters about your industry gives you the upper hand. You’ll know about changing roles, new hires, mergers and acquisitions.
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Strategy 4: Become friends with the gatekeeper
In a mid-sized company, an average of 7 people are involved in most buying decisions. If you have trouble finding the right decision maker, it can be a great strategy to befriend the next best thing: the influencer or the gatekeeper. One of them should be your best friend.
Instead of trying to work against them, acknowledge their job and help them achieve it. Build a candid and real relationship (hello LinkedIn!). If you can get their trust, it will help you once you reach the decision maker.
Why is it essential to identify the type of decision-maker in B2B sales?
Identifying the type of decision maker ensures that your pitch or presentation aligns with their specific pain points and priorities. Tailoring your approach based on the decision maker can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your engagement and increase the chances of securing a deal.
Conclusion
Remember that the journey to connect with the right decision-maker is a blend of tenacity and adaptability. Didn’t strike gold on your first attempt? No worries. Simply pivot and try a fresh tactic from our arsenal. As with everything in sales, nothing pays off more than persistence!
Manual work not really your thing? LinkedIn is your best friend here. Not only can you basically find anyone and everyone, it’s also possible to contact them without doing any hard manual labor. Need help? We’re here.
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