Latest / Closing the Deal with Fexingo: Sales, Negotiation, and Revenue Conversations for Operators / The One Question That Reveals the Real Decision-Maker
Transcript
- Lucas: You're on a discovery call with a VP of Engineering. Good conversation. They're nodding at everything. They love the product. And then at the end, you ask the obvious question: 'Who else needs to be involved in this decision?' And they say, 'Oh, it's just me, I've got full authority.' And you believe them. Luna: And then three weeks later the deal dies because the CFO vetoed it. Lucas: Exactly. That's the classic trap. So today I want to talk about a single question that gets past that — a way to reveal the real decision-maker without triggering a defensive reaction from your contact. Luna: I'm curious. Because the 'who else' question is so standard that most buyers have a scripted answer ready. Lucas: Right. And that's the problem. The question itself is fine, but the way we ask it signals that we're trying to bypass them. So they give us the shortest path to ending the conversation. Luna: So what's the alternative? Lucas: Quick honest thing — we're able to do deep dives like this because a small group of listeners chips in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No ads, no sponsors, just people who find these conversations useful. It funds the whole show. Luna: Yeah, and it keeps us independent. We don't have to chase trends or fluff the content. So if you're getting value, that's the way to keep it going. Lucas: Alright, back to the question. The alternative is to reframe it as a logistics question rather than an authority question. Instead of 'Who else needs to approve this?' you ask: 'To make sure we set the right timeline, can you walk me through the steps this decision goes through after you say yes?' Luna: Oh, that's smart. It's not challenging their authority — you're just asking about process. Lucas: Exactly. And what you often get is a much more candid answer. The VP might say, 'Well, I'll take it to my VP of Finance, and then they'll present it to the procurement committee, and finally the CEO signs off on anything over $50,000.' Suddenly you know there are three more stakeholders you've never met. Luna: And you also learn the threshold. That's gold. Lucas: It is. I saw this work in a deal a few years ago. A cybersecurity software company was selling to a mid-market retailer. The rep had been talking to the CISO for two months. Liked him. Thought he was the guy. Then she asked that logistics question and found out the CISO could only approve up to $30,000. The deal was $75,000. Luna: So the real buyer was someone else entirely. Lucas: The CFO and the CEO. The CISO was just an influencer. So the rep asked for a brief introduction to the CFO with the CISO in the room to validate the recommendation. That meeting happened, and the deal closed three weeks later. Luna: And if she hadn't asked that question, she might have kept selling to the CISO for another two months before getting a no. Lucas: Or worse — getting a yes from him that wasn't real. So the key insight is: don't ask about authority. Ask about workflow. People love to talk about their internal processes. It makes them feel important. Luna: But does this work in really complex enterprise deals? I'm thinking of a company with a twelve-person buying committee. Lucas: It works even better there, because the process is more formalized. The rep's job is to map every step. And here's a trick: after they list the steps, ask, 'Is there anyone else who, if they didn't agree, could stop the deal?' That's a different question. It identifies veto power, not just sign-off. Luna: So you're separating the 'must haves' from the 'nice to haves'. Lucas: Exactly. The VP of Marketing might need to be consulted, but they don't have veto power. The CFO probably does. So you prioritize your time accordingly. Luna: I remember a story from a SaaS founder who said he lost a million-dollar deal because he never met the COO. The VP of Sales he was talking to loved the product, but the COO had a personal relationship with a competitor. The VP never mentioned it because he didn't want to seem weak. Lucas: That's the other risk. Your champion might hide the real decision-maker because they're afraid you'll go around them. So you have to make it safe for them to tell you. Luna: How do you do that? Lucas: By framing it as you needing their help to navigate the internal politics. Say something like: 'I've been burned before where I thought I had a deal and someone I never met killed it. To protect both of us, can you help me understand the full chain?' That positions you as a partner, not a threat. Luna: And it also subtly implies that if the deal falls apart, it's on them for not helping you. Lucas: Exactly. There's a little bit of friendly pressure there. Now, once you have the map, the next step is to get a meeting with each person. And not just a demo. You want a discovery conversation with each one to understand their individual priorities. Luna: Because the CFO cares about ROI, the CTO cares about integration, the COO cares about operational efficiency. Lucas: Right. And if you only talk to the CISO, you'll build a pitch around security. But the CFO might need to see a payback period of under 18 months. If you don't know that, you can't tailor your business case. Luna: So let's talk about the actual script. You mentioned a logistics question. Can you give us the exact wording? Lucas: Sure. After you've built some rapport and they're showing interest, you say: 'To help me put together the right proposal and timeline, could you walk me through the steps this decision goes through after you decide to move forward? Who needs to see it, and what does that process look like?' Luna: That's good. It's open-ended and non-threatening. Lucas: Then listen for the roles. Write them down. And after they finish, follow up with: 'And is there anyone who could block this if they weren't on board?' That's the veto question. Luna: And if they say no, you can gently probe: 'So if you and I agree, the deal is done?' Lucas: Exactly. And if they say yes, you have a decision-maker. But most of the time, they'll correct themselves and say, 'Well, actually, our legal team needs to review, and the CEO usually wants to sign off.' And now you have your map. Luna: What about gatekeepers? Like an executive assistant who controls access. Lucas: That's a real thing. If your contact says, 'I'll set up a meeting with the CFO,' but the EA is the one who actually schedules it, you need to get on their radar too. Sometimes a simple thank-you email to the EA with a brief agenda can go a long way. Luna: So the overall principle is: be curious about process, not pushy about authority. Lucas: That's it. And it works because it's genuine. You actually need to know the timeline and steps to build a realistic proposal. So the question serves both you and the buyer. Luna: I want to test this on my next call. I'll report back. Lucas: Please do. I'd love to hear if it surfaces any surprises. That's it for today — go map your buying committee.