Leadership

You MUST engage with the decision-maker, earlier

02/07/25, 00:00

Who is it for?

CEOs, founders, CROs, and senior revenue leaders managing commercial teams and decision-making under uncertainty.

When to use?

When you need an experienced second pair of eyes on commercial decisions, planning, and accountability.

Or Economic Buyer if you prefer MEDDPICC language. One of the challenges I repeatedly discuss with salespeople, both new and experienced, is getting in front of the Economic Buyer or Decision-maker.

Or Economic Buyer if you prefer MEDDPICC language. One of the challenges I repeatedly discuss with salespeople, both new and experienced, is getting in front of the Economic Buyer or Decision-maker. There will be multiple senior people involved in a complex purchase, and a successful seller will ensure engagement with all of them.

😈 Many sellers do not put a plan in place early to make this happen.

😈 They are nervous about when they can/should reach out to the Economic Buyer, or how to introduce their boss or CEO to the relevant executives.

😈 They feel it will be disrespectful to tell their other contacts to say need to speak to more senior people.

😈 The Seller will put it off until “later in the process”.

And here’s the kicker: when it looks like the deal is going to be lost, Sellers will ask their VP to reach out to the decision-maker!!! At which point it is way too late.

Recommended tactics/techniques:

⭐ ASAP map out the senior stakeholders: the Economic Buyer, other V- and C-levels likely to be involved, … Build a plan for engaging them.

⭐ A true Champion will help you meet them. If your Champion does not work on this early in the process, you don’t have a strong Champion.

⭐ Use the process or your manager. “I cannot start a POC until we have had direct validation from [the decision-maker] that they are confident we are a strong option”.

⭐ Others in your business can reach out. Your CEO sends a message to the CFO: “I understand our teams are speaking and it looks like we can resolve problem ABC for you. Let me know if I can help” . No call to action here, just an initial introduction. Which you can build on.

⭐ Do not leave it until you are deep into the evaluation. Get validation from the Economic Buyer that there is genuine interest in your solution before you invest significant resources.

Any other tactics you’ve tried?

Comments are welcome here https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benmiller4_you-must-engage-with-the-decision-maker-activity-7345339463771779074-Y0yl?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAATcTMBoKbG3QaBsvJyxtoIgMgf2SgDoJ8. Or feel free to reply.