This blog brought to you by episode #365 of The Sales Hunter Podcast.

Why Salespeople Waste Time

Too many salespeople confuse leads with prospects. And when you mix those up, you lose time, energy and momentum.

“Just because a lead looks good does not make them a good prospect.”

A lead might be interested. They might have pain. They might even love what you’re saying.
But if there’s no intent, they are not a prospect.

Are You Talking to the Right Person?

Here’s the first question you must ask: am I speaking with the user, the decision maker or the economic buyer?

Most salespeople wind up in “happy talk” with users. They love the solution. They love the idea. But they can’t pull the trigger. Only the decision maker or economic buyer can.

“Pain alone means nothing without intent.”

BAMFAM: The Ultimate Intent Test

The fastest way to determine intent? BAMFAM — book a meeting from a meeting.

Users will always book meetings with you. They have time. Decision makers and economic buyers don’t.
If they won’t book the next meeting, it is not a priority.

Time follows money, and money follows priority.

Find Out What Actually Matters

You uncover priorities by asking questions that tie your solution to their goals and objectives.

Ask:

What happens if this problem isn’t solved?How does this fit into your annual plan?How does this impact your broader strategy?

Do your research. Understand their upstream challenges and downstream consequences.
You’re not selling a product. You’re selling a business solution.

Users Aren’t Thinking Big Picture

Users don’t know the upstream and downstream effects. They only feel their part of the pain.

That’s why you ask questions that reveal the bigger picture. If they can’t answer, you’ve identified a user — not a decision maker or economic buyer.

From there, your goal is to turn the user into a champion.

“Coaches cheer you on. Champions take action for you.”

Coaches vs Champions

A coach gives praise and feedback. A champion pushes the opportunity forward.

When you ask questions that highlight the strategic importance of your solution, users begin to see the broader value — and they start bringing others into the conversation.
That’s when they shift from coach to champion.

Three Things You Must Hear

When speaking with a decision maker or economic buyer, listen for three clues:

How the solution fits into the rest of the company.Where this fits in the budget.Names of people higher up the food chain.

Hear those? You’re talking to someone who can buy.

Decision Maker vs Economic Buyer

The decision maker understands the system and the impact.
The economic buyer controls the money.

They work together. The economic buyer will always validate with the decision maker — not the user.
This is why the user is never enough.

The Brutal Truth

If you cannot determine whether you’re speaking with the decision maker or the economic buyer, you do not have a qualified prospect.

Keep nurturing, but don’t focus your time there.
Your job is to invest 70 percent of your time into the top 10 percent of your pipeline.

“Focus 70% of your time on the 10% of prospects who matter.”

That’s how you close more deals.