Sales Tips for Your Career: How to Find and Connect with Decision Makers

If you work in the challenging world of sales, you know that no one can close every potential deal, which means there is always room for improvement. You probably want to improve your own sales figures, both for personal satisfaction and for specific professional reasons to receive bonuses, commissions and opportunities for advancement. You probably already have good sales and communication skills, but how can you improve them and turn them into something great? These sales tips will help you advance in your sales career.

How to find the decision maker in a company

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To ensure you can close a sale, you must first determine whether you are speaking to the right person, also known as the decision maker. This step can be more complex than you initially think because in many companies, multiple people are involved in purchasing decisions. To have the best chance of success, you should first reach out to the person who has the most influence.

The best way to find this person is to contact one of the company's gatekeepers, e.g. For example, ask a secretary or receptionist who you should speak to. You can help the gatekeeper figure out who exactly you need by asking insightful questions like:

• “Who else should I talk to?”
• “Who will make the final decision on this matter?
• “Who makes recommendations on these types of decisions?
• “Who approves the budget for this measure?”

These questions are particularly important because there are different levels and types of decision makers:

• The traditional decision maker: This person makes the actual decision to purchase the product. Although it is often ideal to speak directly to decision makers, they are sometimes difficult to reach or rely on the expertise of their subordinates (influencers) to make recommendations.
• The Influencer: These people don't make the final decision, but will promote your product if they like it. Influencers often have some authority, but not enough to sign off on the purchase. They often also have a personal interest in the product, for example as a manager in the department that will use the product.
• The Budget Decider: This person approves the purchase by signing off on the budget. Depending on how purchases are approved within the company, this person may be the same as the decision maker or a different person, such as a supervisor, an executive, or a manager in the finance department.

5 Tactics to Influence the Decision Maker

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Once you find out who the decision maker is, you should persuade them to purchase the product or service by building a connection with them. Of course you need a good sales pitch, but the prospect is more likely to do business with you if they also feel a real connection with you. The following sales tips can also be used with existing contacts to convince them to renew or add products and services. If you continue to work on your communication skills, you can increase your sales and increase your chances of getting a promotion or raise.

1. Improve your speaking skills

It's not just what you say, but how you say it. This is especially true for phone calls where the other party cannot see your face and body language. For this reason, some employers pay for voice training for their salespeople, but you can also work on your voice yourself, for example by avoiding filler words like "um" or "okay" when you speak.

Have a trusted friend or colleague listen to you speak and give them not only sales tips but also feedback on your tone, tone, and volume. You can also try out different headsets and microphones.

2. Use concrete numbers and examples

Inject some storytelling into your sales pitch by using specific, illustrative examples of how your products have helped other customers, and make sure beforehand that you're allowed to share this information or, if necessary, anonymize it. You can describe the positive results with numbers, statistics, charts, photos, or anecdotes.

3. Make the decision maker feel important

One of the most effective sales tips is to make the prospect feel important, which in turn creates positive associations with you. You can use techniques such as: E.g., using their name, complementing their business strategies, saying things like "I know you're very busy..." and asking about the customer's daily routine.

4. Focus on solving a problem

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You know what you can achieve with these sales tips, whether it's a bonus, recognition from your boss, pride in your work or the prospect of a promotion. However, if you want to close a sale, you should focus on the customer. What benefit does he get from the product? If you take the time to research their problems by asking them direct questions, researching their competitors, or keeping up with current market trends, you'll have a better chance of closing the deal.

5. Master presentation techniques

If you are conducting the sales conversation in person, you should use common presentation techniques. Study the best techniques for body language, eye contact, placement, and posture. Even your first handshake is important because studies show that people form an opinion within seconds of meeting a person.