Sales effectiveness expert Nick Toman described the attributes of different organizational decision-makers and how to spot them in his keynote presentation at the Sales Alumni Breakfast at the Jindal School on March 24. The breakfast, which UT Dallas alumni who work in sales were invited to attend, was part of JSOM’s Center for Professional Sales two-day Pro Sales Challenge, which included student competitions and an awards luncheon.
Dr. Howard Dover, director of the Center for Professional Sales and of JSOM’s Professional Sales Concentration, sold Toman, global practice leader, CEB Sales Practice and co-author of The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2015), on making the speech.
“Nick Toman expressed a desire about a year ago to attend one of the sales competitions we do on campus,” Dover said. “His primary purpose in coming to UT Dallas was to participate in the pro sales competition to meet and work with our professional sales students. Once he was confirmed to help judge … I saw the opening to ask him to keynote our alumni breakfast.”
Toman is recognized for research studies in customer service and sales effectiveness. He and his team at CEB have focused on describing customers and the ways they decide to make a purchase. The research shows that companies are becoming more global and diverse, which means that more individuals and departments are involved in making that decision.
The number of decision-makers involved in making a single purchasing decision has increased by 26 percent over the past two years, according to data compiled by Toman and his team.
Understanding customers and their reasons for buying is essential for sales professionals, but it is even more important when so many people must agree on a purchase.
Toman identified seven types of decision-makers within an organization: teacher, go-getter, skeptic, friend, guide, climber and blocker. Of those, he said, the go-getter, skeptic and teacher are the best options when it comes to working with them to make a sale because they are the ones who challenge their organizations to be better.
He provided the audience with specific questions to ask to help determine the different types of decision-makers. That concept appealed to Kate Reagan, business development officer, Strategic Sales & Marketing, at Texas Capital Bank and a Jindal School BS 2015 alumna.
“My favorite part of the program was learning about the different types of decision-makers and how to tell which ones they are,” Reagan said. “I like having a process for making that determination.”
Veronica Martinez, partner account manager, AM-SLED Texas for Cisco, and a JSOM 2009 Global Executive Leadership MBA alumna, said she takes advantage of events such as the alumni breakfast for the learning experience. “I feel like if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room,” she said. “The Challenger Customer (program) brings new light to the sales approach.”
