The Center for Sales Strategy

APRIL 29, 2024

When selling a product or service, not all outreach efforts should be directed directly at the decision maker, who has the final word on what will be bought. After all, the decision maker may not be the one using your product, adjusting workflows to accommodate it, or even engaging with the product directly at all.

Decision Maker 118

Decision Maker Influencer B2B Marketing Qualified Lead 118

Mr. Inside Sales

DECEMBER 12, 2020

In case you missed this, I received the following email last week: Dear Mike: The people have spoken and your article, “3 Keys to Dealing with Difficult Prospects,” has won 2nd place in our 2020 Sales Pro Central MVP Awards Social Selling category!” Then: “And also, I’m not the decision maker on this, I’m just an influencer.

Decision Maker 291

Decision Maker Face-to-face Call-back Gatekeeper 291

Score More Sales

DECEMBER 22, 2014

What if that decision maker you have been wanting to reach IS around today? What if you spent several hours working on a prospecting strategy for success – if in fact you really were reaching NO ONE now? ” Lori Richardson is recognized on Forbes as one of the “Top 30 Social Sales Influencers” worldwide.

Prospecting 262

Prospecting Ideal Customer Profile Decision Maker Twitter 262

Mr. Inside Sales

AUGUST 7, 2020

This week, I listened to a closing call from one of their reps, and here is how the prospect opened the call: Prospect: “Let me just tell you upfront that we’re looking at a lot of different options right now of which yours is just one…”. Then: “And also, I’m not the decision maker on this, I’m just an influencer.

Prospecting 199

Prospecting Decision Maker Face-to-face Gatekeeper 199

Mr. Inside Sales

MARCH 17, 2023

So many sales reps are anxious when they speak with a prospect. And, if they are an influencer collecting information, then: “What is the timeline of the (decision maker) to put something like this to work for them?” And, to qualify the influencer: “How do you get involved in the decision process?”

Decision Maker 261

Decision Maker Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing 261

Zoominfo

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

In short, ABM treats individual high-value accounts or collections of good-fit prospect accounts as mini-campaigns, surrounding their buying committees and key influencers with targeted, value-driven marketing assets.

Account Based Marketing 130

Account Based Marketing Account Software Software 130

The Pipeline

AUGUST 22, 2019

I understand connecting with decision-makers or influencers is a challenge, we are all looking for good ideas. By Tibor Shanto. But some things sellers are told to do are not just silly but can cost them opportunities. See what I mean: [link]. Please, don’t ask them that. Ask them something worth answering.

Decision Maker 276

Decision Maker Influencer Opportunity Video 276

SBI Growth

NOVEMBER 4, 2012

Ask the right questions of the prospect and they will reveal what is causing them to buy. Identify the influences within a Buyer that are causing the need. Identify the influences outside the Buyer that cause the need. Understand the ways in which the purchase decision will impact the decision-maker.

Buyer 293

Buyer Decision Maker Demand Generation Demand Generation Targets 293

SBI Growth

JANUARY 27, 2014

There are four categories to mapping the Buying Decision Team: Economic Buyer. Influencer. Help him to identify anyone that influences the buying decision. Your rep needs to map the client ecosystem and identify these key influencers. Most reps struggle with prioritizing their accounts and prospects.

Strategy 303

Strategy Decision Maker Face-to-face Influencer 303

Hubspot Sales

APRIL 9, 2025

Some, like scheduling follow-up emails or creating a repeatable framework for researching prospects, streamline your day without harming the quality of your work. Researching Your Prospect During the Call Researching your prospects while youre on the phone with them is better than not researching them at all but barely.

Gatekeeper 98

Gatekeeper Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile Real Estate 98

SBI Growth

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

In marketing, a Persona Ecosystem is the environment of interactions that a prospect lives within. The collective environment of thought leaders, influencers, communication channels and possible touch-points that surround a prospect makes up their ecosystem. Insight into the sources influencing the prospect.

Exercises 310

Exercises Lead Rank Lead Scoring Marketing 310

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

One of the most stressful moments for most salespeople comes at the point when they have to decide whether or not to go around someone they have been dealing with to that point, be they client or prospect. If your solution has an impact across the organization, you need to align with people who also influence the organization.

Decision Maker 274

Decision Maker Buyer Lead Scoring Lead Rank 274

The Pipeline

MAY 5, 2014

First, even though you may be dealing with the decision maker, they are still part of or leading a team, demonstrating your ability to get along with the team can only help with the decision make. If for whatever reason the prospect is not on board with any of the items or the next step, you have time to adjust or address.

Decision Maker 267

Decision Maker Distribution Call-back Referrals 267

Score More Sales

JULY 11, 2013

Ron and I would meet with various decision makers who were involved in a project that would involve thousands of the items we sold on one contract. Then we would meet with someone else in the same division who was either an influencer or part of the decision team for the same project. Get those answers.

Sales Qualified Lead 309

Sales Qualified Lead Opportunity Lead Rank Lead Scoring 309

SBI Growth

NOVEMBER 10, 2013

They bring buyer insights to the sales team that can be easily leveraged in sales campaigns and prospecting. Interview prospects, customers and lost/no decision opportunities. Ask the reps to provide prospects and customers to interview. A decision maker buys for different reasons than am influencer.

Buyer Persona 310

Buyer Persona Marketing How To Lead Rank 310

Allego

JANUARY 21, 2025

Sales prospecting has transformed from its traditional roots of cold calls and door-to-door pitches into a dynamic discipline that blends strategy, psychology, and technology. This shift has turned prospecting into a strategic effort. What Is Sales Prospecting? Successful prospecting goes beyond cold calls and generic emails.

Prospecting 62

Prospecting Ideal Customer Profile Handbook Decision Maker 62

Zoominfo

MAY 21, 2020

They’re a critical part of personalized prospecting and account-based strategy. A “BASHO email” is a fancy-pants name for a very personalized B2B email, usually addressed to a decision-maker at a high-value account. Great sales emails typically reflect a deep understanding of who the prospect is and what they care about.

Examples 264

Examples Account Based Marketing Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile 264

Hubspot Sales

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

How to Build a Lead List My Tips for Building a Sales Lead List A prospect may have shown interest in a product or service by responding to an online offer, visiting your company’s booth at a conference, or engaging with social media posts. Enhanced Prospect Profiles The better your prospect profile, the better your call outcomes.

Lead Rank 118

Lead Rank Ideal Customer Profile Marketing Qualified Lead Sales Qualified Lead 118

No More Cold Calling

JULY 26, 2018

It’s sales prospecting techniques that are messed up. Right Prospect, Wrong Person. Salespeople say meeting with decision-makers is important, but the OMG research shows that only 10 percent of salespeople are actually reaching decision-makers. Cold leads won’t get your team to quota. They get referrals.

Pipeline 184

Pipeline Closing Decision Maker Referrals 184

Sales and Marketing Management

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Often, the differentiator may come down to the sales rep, whose product knowledge, experience and ability to solve the customer’s problem end up being the deciding factor in turning a prospect into a customer. Are you speaking to decision makers or gatekeepers or influencers?

Hiring 222

Hiring Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile Sales Qualified Lead 222

Smooth Sale

APRIL 2, 2025

Photo by Geralt via Pixabay Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Know Your Prospects Well for Sales and Business Growth Many approaches and specific strategies exist for most endeavors, including attempting to sell. Our blog offers insights on how to ‘Know your prospects well for sales and business growth.’

Prospecting 78

Prospecting Hiring Lead Rank Decision Maker 78

DiscoverOrg Sales

MAY 24, 2017

When DiscoverOrg hosted a Meet-Up event, “Overcoming Roadblocks When Selling Enterprise IT,” we expected insights into how successful sales people identify and access key decision makers at targeted accounts. Do know your prospect’s org chart and the CIO’s “Lieutenants.”.

Account Based Marketing 264

Account Based Marketing Decision Maker Referrals Vendor 264

Hubspot Sales

JULY 30, 2024

As a B2B salesperson for companies like IBM and Open Text, scheduling in-person meetings or phone calls was often challenging, regardless of my prospect or client’s industry or business size. From there, initiating conversations and strengthening relationships with business buyers and influencers got easier.

Closing 122

Closing Quota How To Webinar Metrics 122

The Pipeline

JULY 28, 2014

This is especially fatal early in the process, when they start they prospecting, be that a call, an e-mail, or a social outlet, leading with the How, then wondering why they are not having the traction they seek. Leading with the how is good if you are approaching users or implementers, they want to know “How it works”, or “How you do that”.

Decision Maker 310

Decision Maker Objections Margin Vendor 310

MTD Sales Training

JULY 9, 2019

Of course, the world doesn’t work that way, and there will be prospects and customers who will reject your advances and avoid you at all costs. Calling a dozen times doesn’t change the underlying dynamic that is causing your prospect not to see you. 4) DON’T judge the prospect because of their unwillingness to see you.

Gatekeeper 276

Gatekeeper Decision Maker Call-back Up-Sell 276

DiscoverOrg Sales

OCTOBER 3, 2017

An account-based approach to sales requires that the message, positioning, and all engagement activity have a shared understanding of what’s in the customer decision-makers’ minds. To be clear, “strategic” customers are prospects designated to be “must-win” or otherwise crucial to a company’s sales efforts. That is a tall order.

Account Based Marketing 159

Account Based Marketing Report Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile 159

Zoominfo

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Fast forward to today, and though events have regained their status as a cornerstone of B2B marketing , many key decision-makers are being extremely selective about where to spend their time and resources. If youre not actively working to move those prospects through the pipeline, you might as well not have bothered.

B2B 130

B2B Marketing Strategy Lead Rank 130

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 3, 2019

For years we have been telling people to do two things, find the decision-maker(s), and part of doing that requires having an org chart. Not All Decision Makers Are Equal. The disconnect is in believing that all decisions are made at the highest levels of the buying organization.

Decision Maker 293

Decision Maker Face-to-face Buyer Sales 293

Mr. Inside Sales

JULY 13, 2018

Avoid Rejection While Prospecting with this One Technique. Discover sales training with best tips, rebuttal techniques and responses on how to go about handling and overcoming most common objections in phone cold call prospecting. Before I give you this sales prospecting technique, let me tell you how you’ll use it.

Cold Calling 143

Cold Calling Objections Sales Qualified Lead Prospecting 143

Zoominfo

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

We’ve put together a list of the 10 most important post-event priorities to help you turn attendees into prospects and customers. Use Tracker to Follow Key Influencers. Get notified when decision-makers enter and exit your accounts so you can be proactive in your engagement with the right message at the right time.

Lead Rank 244

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Scale Hiring 244

Hubspot Sales

DECEMBER 9, 2020

Sales trainer Mark Hunter thinks he knows why — poor prospecting. “We We wind up with prospects in our pipeline that aren’t prospects,” Hunter said. A sales prospect may be someone who works for a decision-maker who is browsing the market for their boss. Key Differences Between Suspects and Prospects.

Prospecting 138

Prospecting Ideal Customer Profile Decision Maker Sales Qualified Lead 138

DiscoverOrg Sales

FEBRUARY 6, 2019

The org chart shows who your prospect is within an organization, and which other stakeholders you should include in your outreach. DiscoverOrg’s signature org charts look like this: These are my 5 favorite ways to use org charts: For inbound leads, to determine the sphere of influence. Strategic post-event follow-up.

Decision Maker 29

Decision Maker Video Outbound Influencer 29

MTD Sales Training

JUNE 4, 2019

How many times do you ‘hold something back’ so you can surprise the prospect with that little extra to encourage them to buy? We sometimes cause ourselves problems here, because the prospect may be wondering what else might you be holding back, and have they really got everything they could from you?

Case Study 255

Case Study How To Discount Decision Maker 255

Hubspot Sales

JANUARY 21, 2021

Those people are most commonly referred to as sales influencers , and we've compiled a list of five that every sales rep should know about. Janice Mars is the founder Principal of SalesLatitude — a consulting firm, dedicated to helping businesses focus their sales efforts on winnable deals and aligning core strengths with the right prospects.

Influencer 136

Influencer Twitter LinkedIn Decision Maker 136

Zoominfo

JULY 18, 2018

Landing an in-person appointment with a key decision-maker provides salespeople with the opportunity to respond directly to a prospect’s needs and pain points. The buying committee involves many more influencers and decision-makers. The buying committee involves many more influencers and decision-makers.

B2B 180

B2B Decision Maker Face-to-face Referrals 180

DiscoverOrg Sales

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

They’re a critical part of personalized prospecting and account-based strategy. A “BASHO email” is a fancy-pants name for a very personalized B2B email , usually addressed to a decision maker at a high-value account. Great sales emails typically reflect a deep understanding of who the prospect is and what they care about.

Examples 220

Examples Account Based Marketing Decision Maker Account 220

SBI Growth

AUGUST 26, 2012

In other words, content marketing is communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. We still see majority of marketing push product messaging at prospects. The time is now to embrace inbound marketing to pull in those prospects with content that speaks to the prospects’ interests.

Lead Rank 306

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Marketing Qualified Lead Leads 306