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Sales & Retail vocabulary · Prospecting & Leads

Decision-maker

Meaning in sales & retail, with examples

/dɪˈsɪʒən ˌmeɪkər/nounCore term

In sales & retail, decision-maker means: The person in a company who has the authority to approve a purchase and sign the contract, such as a director or the owner.

In Turkish: karar verici, son kararı veren kişi

How it is used

Sellers try to reach the decision-maker early, because other contacts may like the product but cannot say yes. In big companies several people share the decision; together they are called the buying committee. Also written decision maker.

Example sentences

  1. We've had three meetings, but we still haven't met the real decision-maker.

  2. Ask who else is involved so you know who the decision-makers are.

Common collocations

  • reach the decision-maker
  • key decision-maker
  • final decision-maker
  • speak to the decision-maker
  • gatekeeperA person, such as a receptionist or assistant, who controls access to a decision-maker and decides which calls and emails get through.
  • qualifyTo check whether a lead is worth pursuing by finding out if they have a real need, a budget, the authority to buy and a realistic timeline.
  • sign offTo give official approval for something, such as a purchase, budget or contract, often by signing it, so that it can go ahead.
  • B2BBusiness-to-business: selling products or services to other companies rather than to individual consumers.
  • prospectA possible customer who has been checked and seems a good fit, with a real need for the product and the ability to buy it.

More terms: Prospecting & Leads

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