It is critical to get to the ultimate decision-maker in order to drive sales maximization.   First, you must identify how much power the prospects you are speaking with have. We understand this can sometimes seem like a touchy subject to talk about, but there are two very easy ways to find out how much power your prospects have and who the ultimate decision-maker is.

 

1. Find out the Prospect’s Role

It can easily be the case that you have no idea how high up the prospects you are speaking with are in the organization.  In addition, you may not know if they are the owner, a manager, or if they are a frontline team member.

In this case, directly asking the prospect if they are the ultimate decision maker may come off as too aggressive and make the prospect put their guard up.  You could possibly waste your valuable time talking to a prospect who has no decision-making authority if you make assumptions about their level in the organization.

By simply asking the prospect what role they have in the organization, clarity will be established in a diplomatic way, and you will drive sales maximization. By asking the following question with a tonality of curiosity this will usually get the prospect talking and, in turn, give you some valuable organizational information.

“Oh, I see. By the way, what is your role in the organization?”

If you are speaking to the owner or a senior executive, they will not smell a cold call by you inquiring in this manner. In addition, if you are talking with an individual at a lower level, this question will not make them feel inferior about their level and place in the organization.

 

2. Map out the Decision-Making Process

Inquiring about the decision-making process is a helpful way to see if the prospect you are speaking with has any decision-making authority without asking the question directly. In doing so, it can reveal very valuable organizational information and can help with sales maximation.

Whether or not the person you are speaking with can make the final decision regarding the approval of the purchase of your products and services is the key thing to uncover.  The following is one way to phrase this type of inquiry.

“Can you help me to understand what the decision-making process is on your side?”

Once asked, work with the prospect to map out each step of the process, which will tell you a lot about how much power the person you are speaking with has and may also uncover who the ultimate decision maker is.

The goal is to go all the way to the point where the purchase is made, or the contract is signed. You may be told by the prospect that one particular person is the decision maker, but they could be different than the person who actually signs off on the purchase.  It is important to uncover this information because the person who signs the agreement is also a key decision-maker that we need to get to for sales maximization.

SalesScripter provides a sales script solution helping sales pros to achieve sales maximization.

Also, Read How to Develop Good Phone Scripts