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No, I am not the manager (decision maker).

by Marty S
16 replies
But I know he his.... how do you "flush him out"?
#decision #maker #manager
  • Profile picture of the author aharrold
    "This is agent Dovers, I represent the Internal Revenue Service and I would like to schedule your audit"

    That will sure flush him out lol
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    "Who else is involved in making this kind of decision?"

    I haven't met many people who would play this kind of game, Hide The Decision Maker, but I have known many prospects who pretended to be the sole decision maker when they were not.

    Get the stakeholders together and learn all of their points of view.
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  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

    But I know he his.... how do you "flush him out"?
    It appears the battle lines are drawn.

    Never a good place to be.

    Even if you did flush out the DM,
    you are on the back foot.

    Is it really worth proceeding in this environment?

    You can use this experience to
    work through a plan to minimize
    it in the future.

    I've never had this problem,
    even when dealing with the biggest retail brands in the country.

    I say don't blame them,
    look at what you are doing wrong.

    Best,
    Ewen
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    • Profile picture of the author Marty S
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      "Who else is involved in making this kind of decision?"
      Only forces them to turn a white lie into something bigger.

      Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

      I say don't blame them,
      look at what you are doing wrong.
      I feel it is a defence mechanism so as to avoid saying no, even if they have no good reason to. Some (business) people are just in love with the status quo.
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

        Only forces them to turn a white lie into something bigger.

        I feel it is a defence mechanism so as to avoid saying no, even if they have no good reason to. Some (business) people are just in love with the status quo.
        True about people have a real hard time to say no.

        You still gotta look at what put the other person in the situation...you.

        That's the "hard" work which needs to go in.

        Best,
        Ewen
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      • Profile picture of the author kemdev
        Originally Posted by Marty S View Post


        I feel it is a defence mechanism so as to avoid saying no, even if they have no good reason to. Some (business) people are just in love with the status quo.
        Or, god forbid, they just don't want what you're offering.

        This is very uncommon anyway. Most people will tell you who you need to talk to. I'd say it's probably a problem of delivery.
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  • Profile picture of the author dave147
    Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

    But I know he his.... how do you "flush him out"?
    They'll be flushed out when they realise the value in what you're presenting
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  • Profile picture of the author SashaLee
    Hi there,

    Or you could take the high road , " Oh, I'm sorry - I only deal with senior management. I didn't realize you were just a receptionist - I'm wasting my time here". Then hang up the phone before they get a chance to say anything.

    As Ewen said - the battle lines were drawn and it obviously got to you or you wouldn't have posted here.

    Don't get too hung up (pun intended) in these scenarios. It's a numbers game.

    All the best,

    Sasha.
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    • Profile picture of the author Marty S
      Originally Posted by SashaLee View Post

      Or you could take the high road , " Oh, I'm sorry - I only deal with senior management. I didn't realize you were just a receptionist - I'm wasting my time here". Then hang up the phone before they get a chance to say anything.
      This was live in person btw, but I would never say that, as to me it would only incite aggressive behaviour. This is not the high road. There's really no advantage to semi-insulting them.

      Originally Posted by SashaLee View Post

      and it obviously got to you or you wouldn't have posted here.
      Uhhh.... no. People post all the time in the WF for a lot less reason. In this case, I was more or less curious.

      Originally Posted by SashaLee View Post

      Don't get too hung up (pun intended) in these scenarios.
      .
      Agreed about getting hung up. It's a one off, for now.

      Originally Posted by SashaLee View Post

      It's a numbers game.
      I prefer to think of it as a game of ratios.

      Originally Posted by dave147 View Post

      They'll be flushed out when they realise the value in what you're presenting
      True. In retrospect, since I know he IS the decision maker, I probably should have just carried on with my questions. He does have two stores, so there is an opportunity. I just haven't figured him out yet, I suppose.
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      • Profile picture of the author OutOfThisWord
        How many times a day do you think businesses are called with - "May I speak with the owner or manager?"

        In one second you've forced the person answering the phone to go into the defensive mode.

        Often the person answering the phone has more power and knowledge than you give them credit for.

        The person answering the phone is often more acutely aware of the problems the company has than management.

        And if you can develop a relationship with the person answering the phone, magically your next call goes through, your mail gets through and your proposal has an advocate.

        For example, lets say you make one of the half dozen calls a business gets in a single day where someone is pushing SEO or Web Dev.

        Why not approach like this - "Hi, this is Joe with #1 SEO and I'm calling to see if your company would like a free report about getting your website ranked higher in Google."

        Often the person answering the phone will want to receive your info and take it to the boss.

        Why?

        Because they want to be a hero to the boss. They want to point out opportunities...

        ...as well as help the boss avoid time wasters (May I speak to the decision maker).

        Why should the person answering the phone care if they get more traffic from their website?

        More traffic = more money and that = more pay, especially if the person answering the phone advocated your proposal as a solution and it works, they will likely get to share in the rise in income.

        So go into cold calling being a solution offering warm and friendly person.

        The bigger the company, the more the front lines are aware of problems and the more out of touch management.

        Stop identifying yourself as a retard by opening calls with - "May I speak to the decision maker."
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Originally Posted by Marty S View Post

    But I know he his.... how do you "flush him out"?
    Wow the thread went bad!

    My 2 cents - he is hiding because he buys just about anything a salesman comes in for. He's a whale.

    He now knows, because he has been ripped off, that he should hide, because he is gullible and afraid of the sales process.

    If you know you can help him, he is probably a sure thing if you can keep after him a few times.

    I bet it will be an easy sale.
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    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    Sounds like one who will avoid making decisions and being helpful as you work with him or her. Also, maybe you'll run into him changing his mind about agreed upon work and saying something like "My investor/wife/silent partner thought we should do it this way instead".

    I'd move on, but maybe leave him with a note or statement saying something like we talked about x,y and z and I can really help you with x and z - so get in touch when you want to move on these things.

    That's my take anyway.

    Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author piney94
    Walk away. He's not worth it. There are plenty of other businesses out there.
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