Authority Verification Process

Before any sales call, research the prospect's org chart on LinkedIn to identify who reports to whom and where budget authority likely sits.

In first 5 minutes of initial call, ask: 'Who else will be involved in evaluating and approving this purchase?' to map decision structure.

Use RACI framework: identify who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for this buying decision.

Ask explicitly: 'Do you have budget authority for this purchase, or will someone else need to approve?' to confirm authority level.

If speaking with non-authority, ask: 'Can you introduce me to [decision maker name]?' or 'What's the best way to involve [budget holder] in our next conversation?'.

Log authority level in Attio custom field: 'Decision Maker', 'Influencer', 'Champion', or 'End User'.

Track PostHog events: authority_verified, decision_maker_identified, multi_threading_needed.

Set pass threshold: ≥3 deals in 1 week where you've confirmed authority and connected with actual decision maker.

Measure time saved: compare deal velocity for authority-verified vs. non-verified opportunities.

Document learnings: what questions work best, what signals indicate authority, what org structures to watch for; proceed to Baseline if threshold met.