Problem
Creator leaves a discovery call without confirming who owns final approval, causing proposals to stall with an intermediary.
Solution
Root Cause / Diagnostic:
Concluding sales calls without identifying the ultimate decision-maker and internal approval chain causes proposals to stall indefinitely with mid-level coordinators. Creators waste weeks following up with intermediaries who lack financial authority to sign contracts.
Actionable Fix:
1. Identify the Sign-Off Authority: Ask directly during discovery: "Besides yourself, who else needs to review and approve the proposal and contract before we kick off?"
2. Inquire About Internal Approval Cycles: Ask: "What does your internal sign-off process look like, and how long does legal and financial review typically take?"
3. Offer Multi-Stakeholder Materials: Provide an executive summary one-pager specifically designed for the coordinator to present to their VP of Marketing or CFO.
Pro Tip:
Arm your internal champion: mid-level marketing coordinators want to hire you, but they must convince their boss. Give them concise ROI slides that make pitching you to their VP effortless.
Concluding sales calls without identifying the ultimate decision-maker and internal approval chain causes proposals to stall indefinitely with mid-level coordinators. Creators waste weeks following up with intermediaries who lack financial authority to sign contracts.
Actionable Fix:
1. Identify the Sign-Off Authority: Ask directly during discovery: "Besides yourself, who else needs to review and approve the proposal and contract before we kick off?"
2. Inquire About Internal Approval Cycles: Ask: "What does your internal sign-off process look like, and how long does legal and financial review typically take?"
3. Offer Multi-Stakeholder Materials: Provide an executive summary one-pager specifically designed for the coordinator to present to their VP of Marketing or CFO.
Pro Tip:
Arm your internal champion: mid-level marketing coordinators want to hire you, but they must convince their boss. Give them concise ROI slides that make pitching you to their VP effortless.