As a salesperson, have you ever faced the challenge of spending a significant amount of time with a prospect only to get stuck on some rudimentary details and not move forward in the funnel?

Or have you been in a situation where you and your contact at the customer’s company have been working out the details of a solution and agreement, only to have it blocked at the last moment by someone from a different department who had been out of the loop all along?

If so, chances are you have not been talking to the right person – or more accurately, the right persons.

One of the key aspects of B2B sales, especially when selling larger deals to large corporations, is that the buying decision is not made by one person, but is a process in which multiple stakeholders must align to decide on a specific solution to buy (or not buy).

Therefore, to successfully close large enterprise deals, it is critical to understand the different stakeholders involved in a decision, and how and when they come into play during the customer’s buying process.

Put simply:

Trying to close an enterprise deal without understanding the decision makers and the process behind it is like trying to navigate a sailing boat across the ocean without a compass or any landmarks to guide you – you may get there, but the chances are incredibly slim, and if you do, it will be by luck and chance.

Similar to sailing across the ocean, a complex multi-stakeholder deal can be subject to unexpected winds, storms and currents.

It is therefore crucial to understand these currents, winds and the direction in which you need to ’steer the ship‘ in order to reach your destination (closing the deal).

Fortunately, there are some simple principles and guidelines that can help you navigate the deal towards closure.

Sailing boat in the ocean

Understanding the Decision Making Unit (DMU) in B2B-Sales

n B2B sales, the group of individuals within an organisation responsible for evaluating and making purchasing decisions is referred to as the Decision-Making Unit (DMU) or Buying Centre.

This unit typically includes various roles such as users, influencers, buyers, deciders and gatekeepers, each of which contributes to the decision-making process. The composition and influence of the DMU can vary depending on the size and structure of the organisation, the complexity of the purchase and the strategic importance of the product or service being considered. Understanding the DMU is critical to effective sales strategies and targeted communications.

The different roles are

Initiators: The people who start the process or show initial interest in your solution. This is often your first point of contact in the interaction.
Users: The people within the customer’s organisation who will be using your solution on a regular basis.
Influencers: People within the organisation who do not have authoritative decision-making power, but who influence the decision-making process. Sometimes these influencers can be highly respected experts who can have a major impact on the outcome of the purchase decision. It is therefore important to understand their importance and to keep them aligned.
Decision maker: The person with the authority to make the decision to implement the solution. Note: This can be more than one person.
Buyer: The person who owns the budget – often purchasing. However, this may vary depending on the company, organisation and budget required to implement your solution.
Approver: The final approver, who can often also drive the initiative on a larger scale (typically someone in the C-suite).
Gatekeeper: People who are not directly involved in the purchase decision, but who can block the implementation or approval of a product, such as IT security or legal.

Be aware that the roles above are only a concept. Every organisation has its own structure and dynamics. In some cases, a single person may have several roles in the decision making process (e.g. approver, decision maker, initiator and approver). In other cases, you may find that there are several people in each role.

The important thing to remember is that there is a group of people involved in the decision and it is essential for us as salespeople to understand the different people involved and the dynamics between them.

The Decision Making Unit in the context of the Decision Making Process

Although the concept of a DMU is helpful to know, it remains a theoretical concept. To apply it in day-to-day sales, it is important to understand it in the context of the customer’s decision-making process.

Similar to the different roles that the different stakeholders in the customer’s organisation play in the decision, there are different timeframes in which each of these people are involved.

To return to our example of sailing a ship across the ocean, you will not experience all the currents, winds and weather conditions at once but along the journey.

Understanding the timeframes or steps of the process as different stakeholders come into play early in your sales process is like having a weather forecast for your journey across the ocean.

That means, it allows you to put on your raincoat or get the sale going before the wind picks up. To put it in a sales context: Understanding the customer’s decision-making process and which stakeholders are involved in which parts of it allows you to plan your steps ahead and prepare for what is to come.

For example: Imagine you are trying to sell a data analytics SaaS solution to a large e-commerce company that analyses data from past purchases, customer behaviour and your pricing to recommend optimal pricing strategies to maximise revenue. To make your solution work, you need a huge amount of (sensitive) data from the customer.

You are talking to the company’s e-commerce manager, who has the target of increasing monthly shop sales by 150% by the end of the year. Having understood the value of the unique benefits of your offering, he is convinced and wants to implement it as soon as possible.

However, in order for the solution to be implemented, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer must make the decision to implement your solution and allocate the necessary funds from the annual marketing budget. As your solution requires the transfer of sensitive data, the company’s CEO needs to approve the purchase.

Before this can happen, the IT security team will need to approve the data security of your solution to allow the necessary data to be transferred into your software. In addition, the legal/compliance team will need to review and confirm that your solution is compliant with applicable privacy and data protection regulations.

With this knowledge of the buying process, you can not only provide your manager with a more accurate timeline, but also proactively work with your contact (e-commerce manager) to prepare for each step and maximise the chances of a successful deal.

For example, your e-commerce manager could help you with the specific data from your customer to prepare a specific business case to enable the CMO and CEO to make an informed decision (in favour of your solution).

You could also request the necessary documentation for the legal, compliance and IT teams to approve your solution, and have an initial meeting with them to start the necessary approval process.

Wind and rain and waves in the ocean

Using the Knowledge about DMU and Decision Making Process in Practice to Boost your Sales

Now, all of this certainly sounds interesting. However, when I first learned about these concepts, my question was: How do I put this knowledge into practice to increase my conversion rate and revenue?

The answer is surprisingly simple: Start by asking. Once you have established support with your contact, ask questions such as:

„Given that this is the right solution for you right now. Who do we need to bring on board to make it work for you?“

„How are decisions about solutions like this typically made in your organisation?“

If you’re not sure how to frame these questions without creating awkward situations for you and the buyer, check out our blog post on mastering the art of gathering information.

From there, take it forward and pay close attention to understand the decision-making process, the roles of the various people involved and the nuanced dynamics between them. A hint: because we are dealing with people interacting with each other, there is an ‚official side‘ (the official process and roles of people) and an ‚unofficial side‘ to the buying decision. Pay close attention to what people say and how they say it throughout the sales process, and try to understand the dynamics between the different players in a meeting by closely observing their non-verbal communication (gestures, facial expressions, body language, etc.).

If you are unsure about your impression of the dynamics, it may also be helpful to seek a one-to-one meeting with a supportive contact within the customer’s organisation so that they can explain the process and help you understand the dynamics between the various stakeholders.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the Decision-Making Unit (DMU) is critical in B2B sales, especially for large enterprise deals. Recognising the roles of initiators, users, influencers, decision-makers, buyers, approvers and gatekeepers, and the dynamics between them within your customer’s organisation, can significantly improve your ability to close deals. Mapping the decision-making process early and asking the right questions will help you anticipate and overcome potential obstacles. In the same way that a weather forecast and knowledge of the upcoming currents and winds are essential for sailing across an ocean to reach your destination.

Therefore, by mastering the art of engaging with the DMU and understanding the internal dynamics of your client’s organisation, you can increase your conversion rates and drive revenue growth. In essence, navigating the DMU effectively turns potential challenges into opportunities, ensuring a smoother and more successful sales journey.