Distributors often give up too quickly when it comes to identifying and building relationships with actual decision-makers, says Jason McCracken, senior account executive at Counselor Top 40 distributor Eagle Promotions (asi/185320).

McCracken, a former procurement manager for T-Mobile and a 2025 ASI Media Salesperson of the Year finalist, presented a Power Session at ASI Orlando on Jan. 6 titled “Selling Smarter: How To Find the Real Decision-Maker & Close the Deal.”

Jason McCracken of Counselor Top 40 distributor Eagle Promotions (asi/185320) shares his top tips for identifying and building relationships with decision-makers.

To start, McCracken differentiated between a point of contact (POC) and a decision-maker. “The POC rarely owns the money, the risk or the final yes,” he told attendees. “You have to identify true ownership early – who owns the budget, risk and final approval? Who has the problem to solve? Reaching the decision-maker unlocks budget clarity, priority alignment and faster decisions. Diagnose problems fully before offering solutions.”

McCracken recommended that distributors do deep research on target companies using their 10-K documents, an annual report that public companies are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It can offer valuable insights into the company’s brand, mission and vision, as well as its organization, which can help a distributor identify the decision-maker.

Still, said McCracken, distributors need to be patient and play the long game. “Don’t go behind your POC’s back and reach out to someone else at the company,” he said. “And don’t send samples or gifts. Procurement managers aren’t allowed to accept them and it could blow up the deal. Remember to push with professionalism – be persistent, not aggressive. Earn trust, respect the process and the right deals will follow.”