take a look at the company Website to see if this person is listed any- where,” she says. “Very often, if they hold a position that makes sense for what they are interested in buying, that tells us the story right away – especially with larger companies.” She also points out that estab- lishing certain company policies provides salespeople with foils to discover the real truth about buying authority. “For example, we have a policy that requires purchase orders or a 50 percent deposit for new pur- chases,” she says. “Our salespeople have to explain our purchase order policy up front and follow up with a question substantiating the fact that this person can supply us with that PO or deposit.”


DEVELOP A POWER SPONSOR In addition, you can change the tactics you use to determine buying authority depending upon what products or services you’re selling and who you’re selling them to. The expert believes that salespeople should start “high” and develop a “power sponsor.”


“Salespeople want to call high because, if they go in at a lower level, they could get locked in down there,” she says. “If you get locked in with a person who wants you to deal only directly with him and then he relays the information, in most cases, those are lost sales. “You should know, based on the type of business, who are going to be the people your products benefit within an organization,” she explains. “That might be the vice president of claims in an insurance company or a CFO at a financial organization, depending on what exact product I’m going in with or what the issues may be. A power sponsor is someone who wants you to win, has personal gain if you win, and has the authority to buy. The question then becomes, how do you know that the person you’re talk- ing to is really a power sponsor?” She recommends asking questions about the process, the budget,


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board meeting dates and who attends, what driving forces in the organization are going to make a purchase or project go through, and basic business premises.


“If you truly have a power sponsor,


they’re going to understand those things and be able to clearly articulate them to you,” she notes. “Typically, if you don’t have a person of power, they don’t know all those ins and outs, and it’s very difficult for them to make those things up.


“Can this person get you access to


other resources in the organization, and is he or she willing to march you around, talking about the solution and what you’re trying to accomplish, and introduce you to people?” she asks. “Particularly note if this person is willing to introduce you to a superior, and pay attention to how they interact. Watch for the little nuances that can tip you off to a power sponsor.”


In terms of going over a prospect’s head to determine buying authority, she feels it’s appropriate, but only in certain circumstances. “If you’ve already asked a prospect about buying authority, but then you go over his head, you’ve probably cut your throat,” she says. “But, if


you don’t feel comfortable directly asking, a prospect who legitimately has the buying power shouldn’t mind you making inquiries.”


KNOW THE LAY OF THE LAND The expert advises salespeople to do some extra “history digging” to find out if there is any sort of special rela- tionship that exists within a corporate structure that may change the power landscape.


“For example, you might find out that a vice president was specifically brought in by the CEO because he had worked for him before,” she says. “That’s a relationship that’s very strong and, any time you have a situ- ation like that, that guy is part of the political infrastructure. If that was how he was brought in, you know you’re talking to the right person. “The more questions you ask, the


more you know – and you might find that the person you’re dealing with isn’t the right person,” she warns. “Keep probing, keep digging, and never feel bad about asking questions and qualifying. Your time is as valu- able as your prospect’s, and you don’t need to spend your time on sales that aren’t going to happen.” 


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