How much decision do you own, Mr Buyer?

While it may seem right to treat everyone on the buy side like royalty, you still have to determine how much decision power each buyer has. Until you know who can say "yes" – and who can’t – you risk spending too much time with those who don’t carry weight.

Every buyer you meet with does not have equal decision-making power. And, stop assuming that lofty titles infer decision clout.

Uncover where the decision-making power lies on each account… and spend your time with those buyers.

Your primary job is to eliminate ambiguity in your conversations. The faster you find out if the buyer can say "yes," the better.

Ask, "How much buying decision do you own?"

The buyer may not be able to put a percentage on it, but you’ll hear clues as to where this person stands in the pecking order.

Determining the power base within your accounts’ buying committees is easy… you just have to ask.

In this Short, replace "Who’s in charge, here?" with "Who owns the decision, here?"

Ask it in every meeting.