STC033 How to know if your stakeholder is a real decision maker

Do you ever end up on business development calls with stakeholders feeling excited to talk about possible solutions for their organisation (and sales!) only to discover that, rather than being a decision maker, they're actually not the most useful person for you to talk to? Business development calls can be tough enough without having to spend a lot of your time trying to qualify that the person you're talking to is a real decision maker. That's why in this week's episode, I'm diving in to share the quickest and easiest ways to identify if the stakeholder that you're approaching really is a decision maker - and how to make sure that you're using all of your sales time productively. In this episode, I'm sharing; Why it's so important to be spending your business development and sales time talking to decision makers vs employees. (02:00) Why it can be difficult to spot the differences between an employee and a decision maker in the current market. (05:03) The core differences between an employee and a decision maker - and why one is more helpful than the other on business development calls. (06:03) A simple identification strategy that you can use to immediately tell whether you're prospecting an employee, rather than a decision maker. (06:03) How to use the first decision maker identification strategy - and which platforms will best support that. (06:47) Why you'll still need to qualify their suitability on a sales call. (07:05) When a decision maker isn't really a decision maker… and what you can do to leverage that instead. (07:39) How roles and remits give core indicators that our prospect is a viable decision maker. (09:24) How to develop situational fluency (and the questions to ask!) when you want to pre-qualify a decision maker. (10:02) How we can identify decision makers by their focus on commercial viability. (11:06) Core elements to remember when you're navigating the sales process and have access to the correct decision maker. (12:32) How the sign off process can impact your sales pipeline. (12:45) And if you've listened to this episode and now need support to find the right stakeholder to discuss your solutions with, make sure you go back to our Selling to Corporate 22nd July 2020 episode on; How to find the right decision maker. If you've enjoyed listening to the Selling to Corporate podcast this year, please make sure to leave a review on iTunes so that we can support more salespeople in 2021.  Key Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Get on the waitlist to join The C Suite now! If you're looking to get the best support in selling your services to corporate organisations, not to mention hundreds of email templates, swipe files and proposal outlines so that you really can convert at much higher rates and sell your services more successfully then click here to join the waitlist now: https://bit.ly/join-the-c-suite Converting Corporates Bundle: If you're looking to learn the foundational pieces to successfully sell your services to corporate organisations, grab this fabulous self study programme here! You'll learn how to; Create your 250K corporate sales plan, set your business development strategy for success, understand and successfully generate qualified leads and hear from real hiring managers on their top tips for pitching to organisations! http://bit.ly/convertingcorporatesbundle How to leave a review – http://bit.ly/howtoreviewmypodcast Book an exploratory chat with me! I'm offering the final exploratory sessions with me so that you can ask any questions you have about The C Suite and how it can benefit your business. These opportunities are incredibly limited – so if you'd like my eyes on your business and a totally transparent conversation about how The C Suite could support your goals, book it here now:https://bit.ly/corporateexploratorysession Top 5 Business Development Questions: If you're looking to convert more business development calls into sales? You need to be asking the right questions and getting the best information to support future work. Download my Top 5 BDQs here and start getting quality information from your prospects:https://bit.ly/top-5-business-development-questions More Jess! 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