Selling to One Person? That’s Cute. Too Bad a Whole Committee is Making the Decision.

By Marc Pickren, CEO, Springbot, Inc.

Ah, the good old days—when one key decision-maker had the power to say, “Yep, we’re in,” and boom, deal closed. Too bad that’s about as outdated as fax machines and dial-up internet.

Welcome to modern B2B sales, where every purchase feels like a congressional vote. You’re not just selling to one person; you’re selling to a committee—and guess what? They all have different priorities, different pain points, and at least one of them really doesn’t want to change vendors.

If you’re still pitching like you’re talking to a single decision-maker, you’re setting yourself up for a world of frustration.

Meet the B2B Buying Committee (a.k.a. The People You Need to Win Over)

The CFO: Wants to know why this isn’t a waste of money. Hates risk. Loves spreadsheets.
The CTO/IT Director: Skeptical of your security and integration claims. Will grill you on APIs.
The End User: Actually has to use your product. If they hate it, adoption dies.
The VP/Director of Whatever: Needs ROI proof to justify this to their boss. Probably juggling 10 other projects.
The Procurement Team: Their full-time job is saying, “This is too expensive.”
The Skeptic: No matter what, they think your solution is overhyped. (Every committee has one.)

Where B2B Sellers Go Wrong

Pitching to just one stakeholder. If you only sell to your champion, good luck getting past procurement.
Using a one-size-fits-all message. The CFO doesn’t care about UX. The end user doesn’t care about cost savings. Tailor your approach.
Ignoring internal politics. Just because someone can say yes doesn’t mean they will—especially if someone else is whispering “no” in their ear.
Failing to align early. If key stakeholders get looped in too late, they’ll slam the brakes on your deal faster than you can say “budget review.”

How to Win Over the Whole Buying Committee

Multi-Thread Your Sales Approach. Engage different stakeholders at the same time, not just when a roadblock appears.
Customize Your Pitch for Each Persona. What excites the CIO might terrify the CFO. Speak their language.
Anticipate Objections. If you know procurement is going to push back on pricing, preempt it with ROI-driven data.
Equip Your Champion. Give them battle-ready resources to sell your solution internally—case studies, competitor comparisons, and financial justifications.
Leverage Internal Advocates. Find influencers within the organization who can push the decision forward when you’re not in the room.

Final Thought: Selling Isn’t Just Selling—It’s Strategy

The best B2B sellers don’t just pitch; they navigate complex organizational dynamics like a chess master. If you’re not factoring in multiple decision-makers, internal politics, and diverse pain points, you’re not selling—you’re just hoping. And hope isn’t a strategy.