Make sure you’re talking to the decision maker

You have just made *the* perfect sales pitch. The prospect simply loves both you and the product. You are just about to close the deal – or so you think -when the other person says:

“Your product seems very good, but unfortunately I can’t make the decision whether to buy or not. Can’t you come back on Monday when my boss returns?”

Outch! Your one hour (and energy) spent at that office are waisted.

However the hole thing could have been avoided altogether by doing enough research or asking some simple questions beforehand.

The solution is simple:

Before you even make a phone call to a company, try to find out who the decision-maker is. Then call and ask for that person. If not just call, ask the receptionist who is responsible for buying what you are selling in that company.

Even when selling to consumers, finding the decision maker is crucial. I learned this the hard way when I was selling door-to-door. In every relationship there is always one of the two who seems to have the upper hand over the other individual. Trust me on this one, if you can’t pinpoint who it is and draw most of your attention to that person, your chances of closing the deal are minimal.

What is your best tip on finding the decision maker?