Hey! Are you the Decison Maker?

We all know we need to find the decision maker early in the sales cycle but as much as we'd love to ask people straight up if they're the decision maker, it usually turns people off. I thought I'd share how I like to test for power early in the sales cycle.

As I mention in that video tip, here is how I like to test for power.

Ask them to sign an NDA

Most people above the powerline know that NDAs are worth about as much as BarrowCoin™ (that's my cryptocurrency made up cryptocurrency). People below the powerline, the non-decision makers, don't know this. At some point during the sales cycle like a customized demo or proposal, I'll ask them to sign an NDA, their response gives me some insight into if they're really the decision maker or not. An NDA is one of the most universal things you can use to test for power regardless of industry or what you're selling.

Ask for something else only a decision maker can provide

In the same spirit as asking for an NDA, ask questions of your prospects that only a decision maker will be able to answer. These will vary based on your industry or what you're selling but here are some common examples.

• Specific details about previous purchases (The last time you purchased something over $XXXXX, when did the legal team need to get involved?)
• When they're talking to other people above the powerline next (When are you talking to your CFO or VP of Finance next?)
• What was it like raising your last round of funding? (Look for triggers and other events that are typical for decision makers and those above the powerline)

Want more tips like this?

I've got a ton of free tips on YouTube that I've cut up to be easy to consume. Let me know in the comments if you'd like more tips shared like this on LinkedIn.