Why this guide matters

If you’re in B2B sales, the ability to find who makes purchasing decisions can define your pipeline success. Job titles can mislead, buying roles shift, and data often lacks context. This guide gives you the best ways to identify B2B decision makers, from manual LinkedIn methods to AI-driven software tools and browser extensions. Learn exactly how to find decision makers in a company without wasting time or outreach opportunities.

Tutorial 1: Find the decision maker on LinkedIn (free)

Goal: Use Boolean search and profile signals to identify the top decision maker per account in under 5 minutes.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to LinkedIn People Search

2. Use this Boolean query in the search bar: ("head of marketing" OR "marketing director" OR "vp marketing") AND (pipeline OR budget OR demand)

3. Filter by "Current Company" and enter your target account

4. Click into profiles and look for:

   • Budget or team ownership

   • Initiative leadership

   • Job transitions or hiring posts

5. Save or tag the lead in your CRM

Tutorial 2: Use company websites to map decision makers (free)

Goal: Extract role ownership and responsibility from public-facing pages.

Step-by-step:

1. Google site:company.com leadership team

2. Scan:

   • Team/Leadership pages

   • Press releases & funding announcements

   • Open roles on Careers

   • Legal or investor pages for signatories

3. Sketch a quick org map and define who likely owns the decision

4. Infer email patterns and verify using Hunter or Neverbounce

Tutorial 3: Spot high-intent signals (manual or automated)

Goal: Detect timing triggers to prioritise outreach.

Step-by-step:

1. Set up Google Alerts:

   • "{Company name}" + hire

   • "{Company name}" + funding

     

   
   

2. Monitor manually:

   • LinkedIn job changes

   • Company press/newsroom

   • Repeat website visits from target firms

Tutorial 4: Use contact finder tools to pull verified decision maker info

Goal: Find the right contact and email address fast.

Step-by-step:

1. Pick a contact finder:

   • SalesPort

   • Cognism

   • Dealfront

   • ZoomInfo

   • RocketReach

   • Hunter

2. Search by company + department

3. Filter by seniority and role keyword

4. Export verified contacts or enrich manually

5. Log into CRM with source and validation date

Tutorial 5: One-tab research flow with SalesPort (fastest)

Goal: Combine company info, contact data and live signals in one view.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to the prospects website and open the SalesPort Extension

   

   
   

2. Start your sales research:

   • Get a company overview (firmographics)

   • Discover live signals based on your product

   

   
   

3. Identify Champion + Decision Maker in real time

   

   
   

4. Click to verify and export their direct contact data

Outreach: What to say once you find them

Cold email template

Hi {First name},

I just read about {discovered pain point} in {source SalesPort gave you}. That must be {pain we solve}.
Our product/service helps {niche of prospect} to {desired result of their pain}.
We just helped {example companies} with the same problem.

Open to a quick 15-minute exchange?

Best,
{Name}

Cold email example

Hi Michael,

I just read about the Boost Strategy of the revenue until 2026 in your financial report of 2025. That probably means a lot of pressure on your shoulders.
I might be able to help you there: We have built a sales tool for media companies:

This automates the time-consuming manual sales research.

Each salesperson currently loses an average of around 9.5 hours per week on this.
We just helped RedBull and ABB with the same problem.

Open to a quick 15-minute exchange?

Best,
Alex

Feature comparison table

According to several users, Cognism, Dealfront and ZoomInfo typically start at around $15,000/year, depending on contract length and database size.

Playbooks and pitfalls

Different segments need different paths. Avoid the traps that slow teams down.

Playbooks by segment

• SMB often has one or two decision makers. Contact the owner or head of the affected function.

• Mid market combines a champion with a budget owner. Test two paths in parallel.

• Enterprise includes multi step approvals and procurement. Offer a small pilot and sort references by department.

Common mistakes to avoid when identifying decision makers

Many teams rely on a single data source and assume a senior-sounding title means budget authority. Others start without a clear research strategy, hoping that the first contact will redirect them  and this leads to wasted outreach. Failing to document notes and sources in the CRM also creates unnecessary repetition across the team.

Metrics that show you're on the right track

Monitor how long it takes to find the right person, your meeting rate per ten accounts, and the reply rate across channels. CRM health also matters. Make sure your contact records are complete and up to date.

Summary

There are multiple ways to find B2B decision makers: from LinkedIn and company websites to contact finder tools and AI-driven platforms. But the fastest and most consistent way is with SalesPort. It combines live intent signals, role detection, and verified contacts — all in one view — so you spend less time researching and more time closing.

FAQ: Finding B2B Decision Makers

How do I find decision makers in a company without LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

Use free LinkedIn with Boolean search, combine it with the company's team page and Google queries like site:company.com leadership team. You can validate emails with free tools, but to go faster and avoid jumping between tools, SalesPort gives you everything in one tab.

What’s the fastest way to identify who makes purchasing decisions?

Use SalesPort, the only platform combining live buying signals, role detection and verified contacts, cutting research time down to under 2 minutes.

Which job titles are usually B2B decision makers?

Look for roles like Head of [Department], Director, VP, or C-level in marketing, sales, IT, finance or operations. But titles vary, SalesPort helps identify the right ones based on signal strength, not just seniority.

Can I find decision makers just using email finders?

Partially. Email finders give contact info, but not always decision relevance. SalesPort combines signal-based context with verified contacts so you find not just a person, but the right one.

What’s the best software to find decision makers in Europe?

SalesPort is built for GDPR-compliant prospecting with strong European data coverage and pricing that scales with you. No annual contracts.

Is there a browser extension to find B2B decision makers?

Yes. The SalesPort Chrome Extension lets you research companies live while browsing their site, LinkedIn or CRM, and surfaces verified decision makers instantly.

How do I approach a decision maker once I find them?

Use a short, relevant message based on a live trigger (e.g. new hire, funding round, tech change). SalesPort shows you exactly what’s happening inside the company so your message hits when it matters.