Decision Makers

What Are Decision-Makers?

Decision makers are, as the name implies, people who make decisions. In a business context, this typically means people who have the power to make strategic business decisions, such as acquisitions, investments, etc. However, it also typically refers to people who have the power to make lower-level decisions, like which software to use for a certain task in a specific department.

Who Are Decision-Makers in a Company?

Decision-makers is not a technical term, so there is no strict definition. A decision-maker typically means anyone in a company who makes decisions that have a lasting effect on the company beyond themselves and their own interests.

For example, an individual sales representative may make decisions about how to conduct a sales call, and these decisions could have a significant effect on their career trajectory: if the call goes well, they could be promoted, but if it goes badly, they could be fired. However, none of these decisions will affect the structure or organization of the company under normal circumstances, outside of a relatively small amount of revenue.

A manager, on the other hand, has more power, and they can institute changes that have longer-lasting effects on the company, such as purchasing new software for all their sales representatives. Decision-makers exist within a hierarchy, with the CEO usually having the most power.

How to Find Decision-Makers

Generally, it’s fairly easy to find out who makes the decisions at an organization. To start, the CEO usually makes themself known, but they will also be the hardest person to reach in most cases.

You can use platforms like LinkedIn to browse through the people that work at an organization. As you do so, look for titles, like “Manager” or “Senior IT Director.” If it sounds like someone has a high-up position, chances are they have some decision-making power.

Best Ways To Approach Decision-Makers

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting in touch with decision-makers – it will always depend on what your goals are and who you’re contacting.

Generally, however, you will want to display some genuine interest in their business and to ensure that you don’t come across as overly spammy or sale-sy. Be respectful, polite, and professional, make it clear why you’re reaching out, and make it easy for them to get back to you.

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See our full list of over 50 Small Business Terms here. 

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