How to Find Decision Makers on LinkedIn: Complete Guide

In B2B sales, reaching the right person can make or break your deal. According to Evaboot, sales reps who connect with decision makers directly close deals 47% faster than those who start at lower levels. LinkedIn is the most powerful platform for identifying and connecting with these key stakeholders.

Key Takeaways

• Identify by company size: Decision maker titles vary dramatically based on company size
• Use Boolean search: Combine title keywords with AND, OR, NOT operators for precision
• Leverage Sales Navigator: Advanced filters make finding decision makers significantly easier
• Engage before pitching: Build familiarity through comments and content sharing
• Connect through employees first: Other employees can validate your credibility

Who Are Decision Makers?

Decision makers are individuals with the authority to approve purchases, sign contracts, or greenlight partnerships. If you're in sales, you'll also want to learn how to find CEOs on LinkedIn for enterprise deals. According to Octopus CRM, identifying them requires understanding company structure:

Decision Makers by Company Size

Company Size	Typical Decision Maker
1-10 employees	CEO, Founder, Owner
10-50 employees	VP or Director level
50-500 employees	Department heads, specialized managers
500+ employees	Regional directors, procurement teams

Common Decision Maker Titles

• C-Suite: CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, COO
• VP Level: VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, VP of Engineering
• Director Level: Director of Operations, Director of IT, Director of Procurement
• Specialized: Head of Partnerships, Business Development Manager, Purchasing Manager

7 Methods to Find Decision Makers on LinkedIn

Method 1: LinkedIn Basic Search with Filters

According to Social Media Today, LinkedIn's built-in search is surprisingly powerful when used correctly.

Step-by-step:

1. Enter your target title in the search bar (e.g., "VP of Marketing")
2. Click "People" to filter results
3. Click "All Filters"
4. Add filters:
   • Location: Target geography
   • Current company: Specific company names
   • Industry: Narrow by sector
   • Connections: 2nd-degree connections are more approachable
5. Review results and save promising profiles

Pro tip: Search for multiple variations—"VP Marketing," "Vice President of Marketing," "Head of Marketing" all yield different results.

Method 2: Use Boolean Search Operators

According to BreakCold, Boolean search lets you create laser-focused queries.

Boolean operators explained:

• AND: Both terms must be present
• OR: Either term can be present
• NOT: Exclude specific terms
• "Quotes": Exact phrase match
• (Parentheses): Group terms together

Boolean search examples:

("VP" OR "Director" OR "Head") AND "Marketing" AND "SaaS"

(CEO OR Founder) AND Startup AND (Fintech OR "Financial Technology")

"Director of Sales" AND "Healthcare" NOT "Assistant"

Method 3: Company Page People Search

According to FutureLaw Academy, targeting specific companies yields more relevant results.

Step-by-step:

1. Navigate to your target company's LinkedIn page
2. Click on the "People" section
3. In the search box, type decision maker titles
4. Use the filters to narrow by:
   • Function: Sales, Marketing, Operations, etc.
   • Seniority: Director, VP, CXO
   • Location: Specific office locations
5. Build a list of potential decision makers

Method 4: LinkedIn Sales Navigator (Premium)

According to Bardeen.ai, Sales Navigator is the most powerful tool for B2B prospecting.

Key Sales Navigator filters:

Filter	How to Use It
Seniority Level	Select "Director," "VP," "CXO," "Owner"
Function	Choose relevant departments
Company Size	Target your ideal customer profile
Years in Position	Newer roles = more likely to make changes
Posted on LinkedIn	Active users are more responsive
Changed Jobs	Recent job changers often evaluate new solutions

Step-by-step:

1. Open Sales Navigator's Advanced Search
2. Set "Seniority Level" to decision maker levels
3. Add "Function" relevant to your offering
4. Set company size and industry filters
5. Use "Spotlight" filters for engaged prospects
6. Save searches for automatic updates

Method 5: Join LinkedIn Groups

According to the research from LinkedIn, groups are where decision makers engage with industry peers. For a deeper dive on LinkedIn networking strategies, see our LinkedIn Networking Guide.

Step-by-step:

1. Search for groups in your target industry
2. Look for groups with:
   • Active discussions (recent posts)
   • Engaged members (comments on posts)
   • Professional focus (not spam-heavy)
3. Join relevant groups
4. Observe who posts and comments regularly
5. Check profiles—active group members often include decision makers
6. Engage thoughtfully before connecting

Best group types for finding decision makers:

• Industry associations
• Professional certification groups
• Regional business networks
• Technology user groups
• Executive-focused communities

Method 6: Analyze Org Charts Through Connections

According to Brandon Redlinger's LinkedIn guide, understanding company structure helps identify decision makers.

Step-by-step:

1. Find any employee at your target company
2. Look at their profile—who did they tag in posts?
3. Check their endorsements—senior people often endorse juniors
4. View "People also viewed" for related profiles
5. Build a mental org chart of the company
6. Identify who likely makes purchasing decisions

Method 7: Connect with Employees First

Step-by-step:

1. Connect with 2-3 employees at your target company first
2. Engage with their content genuinely
3. When you request to connect with the decision maker, they'll see mutual connections
4. Ask employees if they can introduce you (don't ask immediately—build rapport first)

Engagement Strategies Before Connecting

According to Octopus CRM, warming up connections dramatically improves response rates.

The Warm-Up Process

1. Week 1: Follow the decision maker and like their posts
2. Week 2: Leave thoughtful comments on their content
3. Week 3: Share their content with your own insights added
4. Week 4: Send connection request—they'll recognize your name

Types of Valuable Comments

• Add data: "This aligns with a report from [Source] showing [statistic]..."
• Share experience: "We saw similar results when we..."
• Ask questions: "How do you see this affecting [related topic]?"
• Respectfully disagree: "Interesting perspective. I've seen cases where..."

Avoid:

• "Great post!"
• "Thanks for sharing!"
• Empty flattery without substance

How to Reach Out to Decision Makers

Connection Request Template

Keep it short (under 300 characters):

Hi [Name], I've been following your insights on [specific topic]. I work with [similar companies/industry] on [relevant challenge]. Would love to connect and share perspectives on [industry trend].

First Message Template (After Connection)

Thanks for connecting, [Name]. I noticed [Company] recently [specific observation—launched product, expanded, etc.]. We've helped companies like [similar company] achieve [specific result]. Would you be open to a 15-minute call to explore if there's a fit?

What NOT to Do

• Don't pitch immediately: Build rapport first
• Don't send long messages: Decision makers are busy
• Don't be vague: Specificity shows you've done research
• Don't exaggerate: Credibility is everything
• Don't follow up excessively: One follow-up is professional; more is spam

Common Decision Maker Personas & How to Find Them

Finding CFOs

Search terms: "CFO" OR "Chief Financial Officer" OR "VP Finance" What they care about: ROI, cost savings, risk mitigation Approach: Lead with numbers and financial impact

Finding CTOs

Search terms: "CTO" OR "VP Engineering" OR "Head of Technology" What they care about: Technical architecture, scalability, security Approach: Discuss technical capabilities and integration

Finding CMOs

Search terms: "CMO" OR "VP Marketing" OR "Head of Growth" What they care about: Lead generation, brand, customer acquisition Approach: Share relevant case studies and metrics

Finding VPs of Sales

Search terms: "VP Sales" OR "Head of Sales" OR "Chief Revenue Officer" What they care about: Revenue, pipeline, team productivity Approach: Focus on revenue impact and sales enablement

Measuring Your Outreach Success

Track these metrics to optimize your approach:

Metric	Good Benchmark
Connection acceptance rate	25-40%
Response to initial message	10-20%
Meeting conversion	5-10% of responses
Time to response	3-7 days average

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I identify the decision maker in a company I'm targeting?

Start by determining the company size—smaller companies have higher-level decision makers (CEO/Founder), while larger companies have specialized roles. Use LinkedIn's company page "People" section, filter by seniority (Director, VP, CXO), and cross-reference with the department relevant to your offering. For job seekers, check out our guide on how to find hiring managers on LinkedIn.

Should I connect with gatekeepers or go directly to decision makers?

Both strategies have merit. Connecting with gatekeepers (assistants, junior team members) first can provide insights and warm introductions. Going directly to decision makers is faster but may have lower response rates. A hybrid approach often works best.

How many decision makers should I contact at one company?

For smaller deals, one decision maker is usually sufficient. For larger enterprise deals, identify 3-5 stakeholders across different functions (technical, financial, operational) as buying decisions often involve committees. Be transparent—don't send the same pitch to multiple people.

What's the best time to reach out to decision makers on LinkedIn?

Data suggests Tuesday through Thursday, early morning (7-8 AM) or lunch hours (12-1 PM) in the decision maker's time zone see higher response rates. Avoid Mondays (inbox overload) and Fridays (weekend mode). Decision makers are often more responsive during Q1 and Q3.

How do I know if someone is actually a decision maker?

Look for signals: seniority level (Director+), reports structure (who reports to them), their content (discussing strategy vs. tactics), and their response to your outreach. You can also ask directly: "Are you the right person to discuss [topic] at [Company]?"

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