This insight has implications for both the Business Development Professional as well as the prospect. If you are not a decision maker you will have a hard time bringing up and discussing money. Only you as a decision maker will be comfortable bringing up and expecting to discuss financial issues. This stumbling block is most frequently a conceptual problem. Injecting your own personal thinking and feelings about money into your Business Development process is deadly.
The second part of this insight relates to your prospects. You can quickly determine the level of thinking and decision making ability of individuals you are engaged with by asking questions about money. Decision makers within an organization have knowledge of budgets, access to funds and authority to spend. By discussing the money step early and learning to be comfortable asking forthright questions about money, you can quickly determine whether or not your prospects are significant decision makers.
Ultimately, only decision makers can legitimately discuss financial investments.