How can you identify the right decision-makers to target during customer acquisition?

Sales Intelligence Tools like Sales Navigator, Lusha, and Apollo.io will help us to identify the Key decision makers in specific departments like IT, Engineering, C-Suits, etc. This will help us with some insights into target customer acquisition and we can prioritize our approach based on that

To identify decision-makers during customer acquisition: Research target market and organizational structures. Define ideal customer profiles based on roles and responsibilities. Use networking platforms like Linkedin and connections for insights. Explore company websites and organizational charts. Attend industry events for networking opportunities. Develop personalized outreach campaigns. Engage with influencers and thought leaders. Ask qualifying questions to understand roles and influence. Utilize CRM and marketing automation tools. Continuously refine strategies based on feedback and insights.

Defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is crucial in IT customer acquisition as it helps focus your sales and marketing efforts on the companies that are most likely to buy from you. Here’s how you can define your ICP: 1) Analyse Your Current Customers 2) Identify the pain points that you have addressed 3) Consider Budget to afford product or service 4) Assess Their Decision-making Process 5) Evaluate Their Technological Maturity 6) Determine the Geographic Location 7) Indusrty specific needs 8) Company Culture and Values 9) Growth Potential Collect all the data points and create a comprehensive profile and Use your ICP to target new prospects and validate its accuracy over time.

In IT sales, pinpointing decision-makers during customer acquisition requires delving into the organization's structure and decision processes. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn for networking, asking specific questions to reveal influential figures. Employ existing connections and mapping techniques to identify key individuals. Access public data and engage in industry events for further insight. This method ensures effective targeting of stakeholders for successful customer acquisition in IT sales.

I have opened up 40+ new accounts in my career - the key is being patient and stating with whomever you meet first, and establishing a relationship. It's amazing what that first relationship can do for the partnership b/w your company & the prospect. Understanding their needs & their environment will naturally lead to a better understanding of the org that they disclose to you. I have had many customers tell me I have better org charts than they do - b/c I take copious notes in every dialogue and map out/build the ever-changing org chart accordingly.

Tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, or Draup can provide valuable insights into companies and the key individuals within them. These tools can help you identify and target the right decision-makers based on their roles, responsibilities, and interests.

Research need not always be external. It can also be internal - check within your organization, how have your existing customers benefitted from your product/services. What kind of KPI's have improved for the client ? Then try to identify who owns those KPIs within the client organization. Once this linking is established, validate it during your client interactions particularly in the discovery phase. As a rule of thumb - for any big-ticket IT purchase there would be anywhere between 4-6 key roles involved. If in a sales cycle you know only 1 or 2, then that should be a warning signal !

Network Within the Industry: Attend industry events, conferences, and networking meetups to connect with professionals who may have insights into the decision-making process within target companies. Building relationships with industry insiders can provide valuable referrals and introductions.

In many organisations, IT purchasing decisions are made by a combination of roles, including IT Managers, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), and sometimes Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) or even Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for smaller companies. Understanding the roles and their responsibilities within the company can help you identify who to target. LinkedIn and other professional social networks are invaluable tools for identifying and researching potential decision-makers. Look for individuals with titles relevant to your product or service. Engage with them through content, discussions, and professional groups to build visibility and credibility.

Utilize Social Media and Online Platforms: Leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and professional forums to identify and engage with decision makers. Monitor their activity, participate in relevant discussions, and share valuable content to establish credibility and gain visibility with key contacts.

Review your company’s past successful sales to identify patterns or common roles involved in the decision-making process. This historical data can provide insights into who typically makes purchasing decisions in organisations similar to your target customers.

Attend industry-specific events, conferences, and webinars where potential decision-makers might be present. These events offer networking opportunities that can help you connect with the right people or gather information about who to target within specific organisations. Leverage your existing network to get introductions to potential decision-makers. Customers, partners, or industry contacts can provide referrals that help you bypass gatekeepers and reach the right individuals. Create and share content on social media l;ike Linkediin that addresses the pain points and interests of potential decision-makers. This can help attract them to your brand and establish your credibility as a solution provider.

Easiest way to find out is to simply ask are you or is someone else the decision maker. And if you wanna take a chance just say “Are you allowed to make decisions or do you have to wait until your Husband or Wife comes home to ask for permission.

Once you have identified potential decision-makers, reach out to them directly through personalised emails, messages, or phone calls. Tailor your communication to their specific needs and challenges to demonstrate your understanding and value proposition. Track engagement with your emails, social media posts, and other outreach efforts. See who is interacting with your content and prioritise follow-up with those individuals.

What I learned after about 25 years of selling is that when you were in a certain situation with a prospect, it is always important to figure out who the “bully with the juice” is. It may not be a title or where they sit in the room or anything else. How I did this was to ask how I could make this the best possible use of their time that we are together. What they would need to learn in order to help them make a thoughtful decision? When I asked this question, you could see by the way people answered it, or looked to others to answer it or look to others when they were answering it, who the person that had the most power over the decision was. This approach also allowed me to use the neuroscience that I learned about decision-making.

Ask the customer if they drink alcohol and if they do simply ask if it’s worth giving up one day of buying alcohol and using that money to buy what it is that you are selling and they really want but think that they can’t afford it. PS if you are at a 0 for the week go to the bar on a Friday afternoon to get on the board. If you can’t close in a bar on a Friday, sales is probably not for you.