The Myth of the SQL as Decision-Maker
In business services, the path from first engagement to signed contract typically involves multiple stakeholders: operational teams who will implement the solution, finance leaders who control the budget, and executives who ultimately sign off. The SQL may champion your solution internally, but they aren’t always the ones calling the shots.
Studies show that most B2B decisions involve three to five people beyond the initial point of contact. Treating the SQL as the “end game” can mean lots of activity but low conversion — a common trap that wastes marketing resources.
The Hidden Audience in Business Services
Marketers often overlook the stakeholders who truly drive decisions:
- Dotted-line approvers – Project managers or department heads who vet proposals and provide recommendations.
- Finance controllers – The gatekeepers of budgets who need to see ROI and risk mitigation.
- Operational/technical influencers – Teams evaluating feasibility and alignment with internal processes.
- End-user champions – Employees who will use the service daily and whose buy-in can make or break adoption.
Targeting only the SQL is like trying to play chess while ignoring half the pieces: you’re likely to stall before reaching the finish line.
Rethinking Targeting Strategies
The solution? Treat every decision-maker as part of the marketing ecosystem. Instead of one-size-fits-all campaigns aimed at SQLs, design multi-role strategies:
- Tailor content by role and perspective. Finance leaders want ROI metrics; operations need ease-of-use insights; end-users care about experience.
- Coordinate messaging across channels to reach multiple stakeholders simultaneously.
- Monitor engagement across all roles to identify who’s influencing the decision and where additional touchpoints are needed.
This approach doesn’t just generate leads; it accelerates multi-stakeholder buy-in, moving your campaigns from “nice to have” to “must have” in the organization.
How SmartBrief Makes It Work
SmartBrief helps marketers move beyond SQLs with all-encompassing, personalized targeting solutions:
- Reach every key stakeholder in the decision chain, not just the first point of contact.
- Deliver role-specific messaging that resonates with finance, operations, executives, and end-users alike.
- Track engagement across the full ecosystem, ensuring no influencer is left out and accelerating purchase decisions.
Example: A workforce management software firm wanted to target HR managers. Instead of sending a single email to the SQL, SmartBrief engaged HR, finance approvers, operations leads, and executives in parallel. The result? Engagement across all stakeholders increased by 35%, and the purchase decision was reached faster than with SQL-only outreach.
Key Takeaways
- The SQL matters — but they’re rarely the only decision-maker.
- Understanding the full decision ecosystem is critical for higher conversion and ROI.
- Multi-role targeting ensures every stakeholder is informed, engaged, and ready to act.
In business services, winning the deal isn’t about a single qualified lead — it’s about winning over all decision-makers, and SmartBrief makes that possible.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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