Define
Write down what problem you solve for the company.
Company contacts
Write to whoever evaluates the purchase, not to the highest title on the org chart.
Start from the company. You define which function takes part in that purchase and search for current people with that responsibility, with their role and their context in view.
Authority is researched. It is not assumed.
A decision-maker is a function inside a process, not a title on a card.
Who decides changes with what you sell, the size of the company and the type of purchase. Sometimes the owner signs. Far more often, operations, marketing, technology, finance or purchasing evaluates and pushes it.
Four steps to reach the right person.
Match
Translate that problem into the area that suffers it inside.
Search
Search LinkedIn for who holds that role today.
Validate
Confirm the context and pick the channel that actually exists.
Who decides, who influences and who uses it?
Several people take part in a B2B purchase: whoever uses the solution, whoever evaluates whether it is viable, whoever influences the choice and whoever approves the spend. You can explore those functions separately with LinkedIn decision-makers, instead of betting everything on the highest title.
Same sector, two different functions
If you sell hotel equipment, purchasing and operations weigh more than marketing. If you sell booking software, operations, technology and management come in. LeadCanvas helps you explore those functions inside the accounts you already prioritized.
Which mistakes cost you the meeting?
- Always writing to the CEO or the founder
- Using a role the person already left
- Confusing where the person lives with where the company operates
- Sending the same message to every area
- Assuming that person signs the purchase
Try it with your own market
Write who you are looking for and see the first search with its contact channels and signals.
Try LeadCanvasExplore the workflow with your own market.
Pick the function from the problem you solve
The relevant function comes from the problem, not from a catalog of titles:
- If you sell operations software: operations, technology or management
- If you sell advertising: marketing, growth or management
- If you sell supplies: purchasing, procurement or operations
- If you sell training: human resources, learning or management
- If you sell financial services: finance or management
- If you sell technical equipment: maintenance, operations or purchasing
These are starting points. Company size and structure can move them, which is why it is worth verifying before writing.
The same purchase changes hands depending on company size.
01. Small business
The owner or the manager concentrates the decisions, but may not keep an active professional profile. There the general business channel, often the WhatsApp number they publish, is the real path.
02. Mid-sized company with departments
There is usually an area lead with influence and a director who approves. It pays to locate both people before writing.
03. Large company
The purchase goes through whoever uses it, whoever champions it inside, purchasing, security and finance. Talking about a single decision-maker oversimplifies.
How do you know that person takes part in the decision?
- Role held today
- Area consistent with what you sell
- Enough time at the company to know the process
- The location or unit that matches yours
- Seniority consistent with the decision
- Public activity related to the topic
No single signal confirms buying authority. Several together justify the attempt.
When you only have the general channel, ask for the referral
The message can be short and honest: you explain the topic in one line and ask who owns that function. It works better than pretending whoever receives it is the decision-maker.
Several people per account, without duplicate messages
You link more than one person to the same account and record their likely role. That way the buying committee takes shape as you learn, and nobody on the team writes twice to the same contact.
“LeadCanvas gives a sales team the context to start with a useful conversation.”LeadCanvas customer · Trustpilot
“The workflow is clear, fast and easy to use when you are building a list from scratch.”LeadCanvas customer · Trustpilot
Frequently asked questions
Which roles should I write to?
It depends on what you sell and on company size. LeadCanvas suggests the functions that usually decide, and it is worth checking them against your own customers.
Can I look for more than one person per company?
Yes, when the source and your plan allow it. The number of published people changes between companies and between countries.
What if the person who decides does not show up?
You use the best channel that does exist: a nearby function, or the general business channel with a short question so they refer you.
Stop sending proposals to people who cannot decide anything.
Search for people and functions inside your priority accounts.