Sometimes, trying to get to the decision maker can be a mystery of sorts. A string of successful phone calls with promising answers end up being with the wrong person and now mean nothing. It’s not necessarily your fault; when given the opportunity, we all like to pretend to be someone with more authority than we actually have. But when you are a recruiter trying to get in front of the hiring decision maker, you don’t have time for nonsense—you need results. 

Get connected.

LinkedIn can be a fantastic tool to get directly in front of the decision maker. Use it to find a common connection at your targeted company. If you’re lucky enough to find one, ask for an introduction to someone at said company who is or knows the decision maker. In a perfect world, you’re done! 

But we know better than that. LinkedIn is great for making those connections, but finding someone who is the direct connection you need can be hard. The next step in this process is creating a map of the organization. If it’s a public company, take a look at their 10-K filing. If it’s a private company, take your time visiting profiles and the about page of their website—then connect the dots. 

PRO-TIP: LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator tool can help you with this. 

By this point, you may know the target but, if not, you can start an outbound sales campaign from the top of the organizational chart, working your way down. This works because you’re literally being handed off to the right person by their boss.

Size Matters.

Look at the size of the organization you’re working with, which can be found on LinkedIn or other tools like ZoomInfo. There are some rules of thumb here, and they may make your search easier right away. No matter the size, the journey is the same, and making a connection in a large company could possibly be easier than a one-person operation. 

• If there are more than 500 employees, you should be looking for the regional specialized role, such as West Coast Director, North American Manager, Chicago Rep, etc. 
• If there are between 50 and 500 employees, you should be looking for specialized roles like Sales Manager or Business Development Manager, etc. 
• If there are 10 to 50 employees, look for the VP. 
• If there are fewer than 10 employees, the CEO makes all the decisions. 

Make the call.

This all boils down to actually making the call and being persistent. The reality of our society is, everyone wants to know what’s in it for them rather than what’s in it for you. Because of this, it’s important to be direct and upfront rather than trying to beat around the bush. It can be something as simple as showing how your services can enhance their organization or giving concrete examples of how you’ve helped others in similar circumstances before. 

If the time isn’t right, thank them for the call, and make a connection on LinkedIn or via email. Let them come to you when they need you. 

Never stop being there.

I’ve got a friend who always seems to pop up in my news feed. I don’t see them that often in real life, but I always keep them in the back of my mind because I see them on my news feed all the time. It’s not to the point where I want to unfollow them because of content overload, but it’s enough to keep me interested. 

That’s where you need to be. 

When you make a connection with that elusive decision maker, you put yourself in the front of their mind. They pushed you back because they have more pressing things to worry about and they aren’t necessarily ready for you—yet. But two weeks (or two months) from now, when they are facing a hiring need, while scrolling through their LinkedIn feed—there you are—and the connection has sparked again. 

So, they check out your profile. If you have outdated or incomplete information, they may move on to someone else. But you’re lucky because they like what they see. They click on your website, and Lady Luck strikes again because you have a beautifully designed and functional website that lays out all the necessary information about you and your organization for that person to peruse. Then, they call you—instead of the other way around.

Your website isn’t just a place to house your contact info and expertise; this is a place to show why people need to work with you instead of someone else. You have an area with blogs you’ve written, articles you’ve gathered and case studies you’ve conducted using previous clients. You have an area where people can sign up for your newsletter, where you share relevant industry content, further showing your expertise. You have optimized your SEO and created display ads on Google so when someone even remotely wants information about your industry, there you are again. According to the Rule of 7, you want to be in front of someone at least seven times before they take action. Be creative, and find your brand’s personal recipe for success.

How to get to the decision maker—what’s the right answer? What’s the magic word to make the decision maker take your call and make the choice to work with your firm? Well, there isn’t just one answer. It’s doing a little bit of everything to make sure you’re in front of the decision maker consistently (without being annoying) and allowing them to make the call when you’re needed. Being pushy will, in turn, push them away, and being aloof will make them forget your name. 

---

Having an excellent web presence and making a connection can do wonders—when the time is right. Our team at Recruiters Websites can design that website for you, and you can let the website do the talking. We can try to sneak you the secret recipe for success, but without putting in the effort, your cake will never rise. It takes work, dedication and experience, and Recruiters Websites can make it happen for you.