You’ve had an amazing sales call. Your prospect is nodding along, excited, totally sold. You hang up confident this is in the bag…
And then… silence. Or worse: “I loved it, but I just need to talk to my [partner/boss/manager]…”
Sound familiar?
Here’s the truth: in both B2B and B2C, most buying decisions are not made by one person. Whether it’s a corporate boardroom or a spouse at the kitchen table, there’s often a “hidden decision-maker” holding the final approval. Ignore them, and even your strongest “yes” can turn into a stalled deal.
The CFO Lesson That Changed My Sales Game
Years ago, I sat in a CFO’s office for a SaaS project I was marketing to manufacturers. The engineers and sales leaders loved it, but they weren’t signing the contracts.
Enter: the Buying Comité – a small group of executives, including the CEO, department heads, and yes, the CFO. No CFO approval? No deal.
What I learned:
- The engineer cared about features.
- The sales lead wanted speed and ease.
- The CFO cared about ROI, risk, and cost containment.
Each stakeholder had a different lens – and if I had stuck to the same pitch for everyone, I’d have lost every time.
The Same Happens in Design (Even in B2C)
Selling high-end design services? Think about how many people weigh in: spouses, partners, kids… even parents or friends. Your client might be thrilled, but if their partner isn’t sold on the investment (or simply doesn’t understand the value), you risk a deal crumbling before it’s signed.
Why? Because your excited prospect isn’t a salesperson. They can’t pitch your value as effectively as you can, and now they’re expected to do exactly that, alone.
How to Win Over Decision Makers in Sales
Here’s how you can turn that “hidden veto” into a confident yes:
1. Get Everyone in the Room
If possible, invite all decision-makers to the sales call. A single, clear conversation beats endless back-and-forth.
2. Equip Your Champion
When getting everyone together isn’t realistic, give your point of contact tools that make them look (and feel) confident:
- A polished investment guide
- A portfolio deck with before/after examples
- A short Loom video addressing the exact concerns you know the other decision-maker will have
3. Lead the Process
It’s your sales process – own it. Don’t leave it to your clients to decide when and how to get back to you. Remove that burden by setting next steps confidently and guiding them through. Clear direction feels professional and makes it easier for them to say yes.
4. Ask Smart Questions
Your prospect knows their stakeholders best. Ask them:
- “What would help your partner/team feel confident about this?”
- “Who else will be weighing in?”
- “Would a quick video or resource help you present this internally?”
In B2B, we call this activating your champion – arming them with everything they need to sell you internally.
By addressing all the stakeholders upfront, you:
- Eliminate surprise objections late in the process
- Build trust (because you understand the bigger picture)
- Show authority (because you anticipate what others are thinking)
- Reduce decision fatigue by confidently leading the next steps
Whether it’s a CFO in a suit or a skeptical spouse, you’ve made it easy for them to say yes.
