In small businesses, the owner is usually the decision-maker. A conversation with someone who can't decide rarely leads to an order.
What does this mean in practice?
The decision-maker is the person who can approve a purchase. In a small business, that's often the owner or one of the partners. In a larger business, it's someone with the right responsibility or the budget.
Why does this matter for your business?
If you talk to an employee who can't decide, they have to pass your story on. Along the way, your arguments get lost. If you sell to businesses yourself, find out early who makes the decision. It saves time and increases your chances of winning the order.
Examples and best practices
- Ask at the start: who makes the decision on this?
- If the decision-maker isn't there, schedule a set time with that person.
- Leave information behind, but don't count on it being passed on.
- If there are two owners, invite both to the meeting.
How we do it at Ikoon
Do you sell to businesses? With AI lead qualification, your Ikoon website asks the right questions up front, such as who makes the decision and what their needs are. That way, you know who you're dealing with before the first conversation. With the Quote form with photos, you also get a clear picture of the request straight away.