SKILL
What is the best way to find out if the prospect has the authority to buy? Two professionals – one a sales consultant and the other a software sales specialist – share their opinions on how to find out who really has the authority to buy.
How to Uncover the Real Buyer SELLING POWER EDITORS
You’ve heard it before: Never judge a book by its cover. Sure, it’s a cliché, but it’s still valid. The same is true when you call on a prospect. The person who sees you may seem like the one who makes the decisions, but how do you know? The person you had thought was “the” decision maker may only be an information gatherer. Your understand- ing of the buying process may turn out to be com- pletely wrong, and the individual you’d thought was the maintenance guy may really turn out to be the president of the company – who just likes to “dress down.”
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JUST ASK According to the consultant, the absolute best way to discover prospects’ buying authority is to simply come right out and ask them. “Salespeople shouldn’t be afraid to ask the prospects, at the beginning of a meeting, if they actually do have the authority to buy – or if they’re simply doing research for someone else.” She continues, “You need to know what part they take in the buying process before you go through a lot of leg work. I tell my salespeople, when they’re out prospecting and meet someone, to ask straight off the bat what their position is and if they have the authority to buy. Salespeople sometimes have to go with their gut feelings about how the prospects ask questions, how they present themselves, and the way they operate. “If you have any indication that
the prospect can’t purchase or that you’re just spinning your wheels, ask, ‘Do you solely have the ability to purchase, or do you need to go to a boss, committee, supervisor, or anybody else who makes these decisions with you?’”
TAKE A LOOK
Having said that, she also recognizes that some salespeople – especially the less experienced ones – often feel uncomfortable about being that forward during the initial meeting. She suggests other ways to find out where the real buying power lies. “One of the first things a salesperson can do is take a look at the company Website to see if this person is listed anywhere,” 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.”
RUDALL30 /
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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