Ever been 6 months deep into a deal only to realise your “decision maker” couldn’t actually make decisions? You’re not alone.
Richard Bounds, one of our expert sales coaches, has seen it all—and he’s here to help you avoid that painful mistake.
In this deep dive, Richard breaks down how to properly qualify the Economic Buyer in the MEDDPICC framework.
We'll provide you with actionable things to do and questions to ask, so you can accelerate deal velocity, increase win rates, and avoid getting ghosted by the real budget holder.
Let’s break it down, one key question at a time.
This article is part of our Mastering MEDDPICC series—a hands-on collection designed to help you turn MEDDPICC from theory into team-wide habit. If you want your reps to actually use the framework, check out our starter guide to implementing MEDDPICC. It breaks down what each letter means, why it matters in complex B2B deals, and how to embed it without overwhelming your team.
What does the ‘E’ in MEDDPICC stand for? (Economic Buyer Defined)
The E is for Economic Buyer—not economics, not efficiency, not “everyone involved.” It’s the person with financial authority to approve or deny spend.
Richard clarifies:
“It’s the person who either gives the budget or approves it—or takes it away.”
Richard makes it clear: don’t conflate the economic buyer with the signatory.
Sometimes they’re the same, but often they’re not.
That distinction is critical.
Things to Do
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Identify the person who can actually release the budget.
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Verify their role in decision-making and approval.
Questions to Ask
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“Who is the budget holder for this type of purchase?”
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“Who had to approve the last solution you bought?”
How do I identify the real Economic Buyer in MEDDPICC?
Richard suggests asking plainly: “Who is the budget holder?” or “Who actually approves this deal?”.
Strong champions will usually be able to answer this.
“Ask what similar purchases they’ve made and who was involved. That’ll give you a steer.”
Things to Do
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Ask about previous procurement processes.
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Probe for sign-off steps and committee involvement.
Questions to Ask
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“What was the process the last time you bought something similar?”
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“Is this a committee decision or one person?”
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“What’s the signatory process after budget is allocated?”
What if the person I’m working with says they’re the Economic Buyer?
It’s not enough to accept their word. Ask about the signatory process, past similar purchases, and who else was involved.
Richard Warns:
“If they don’t know who holds the budget or can’t describe the process, that’s a red flag.”
Things to Do
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Validate their role through previous examples.
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Confirm alignment with the approval process.
Questions to Ask
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“How does your approval process typically work?”
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“Who else is usually involved in signing off on deals like this?”
Can it be multiple people? Is it always the CFO or VP? (Economic Buyer Realities)
Not always. In large or enterprise deals, it may be a steering committee or a group with a chairperson.
Richard sheds light on this:
“The real EB is the one with authority to approve or remove the budget — and that’s not always obvious.”
Things to Do
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Identify if multiple stakeholders are involved.
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Look for the committee leader or central authority.
Questions to Ask
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“Who chairs the decision-making group for purchases like this?”
How do I get access to the Economic Buyer without upsetting my champion?
Use peer-to-peer selling and keep your champion involved.
Richard points out:
“Executive to executive selling is the easiest way to step up through an organisation.”
Things to Do
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Set up C-level to C-level calls.
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Keep champion and AE in the room.
Questions to Ask
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“Would it help to align our exec team with yours to support this initiative?”
What if they won’t give me access to the Economic Buyer?
It’s a red flag.
Richard Explains:
“If they’re not letting you speak to the EB, how serious are they about fixing the problem?”
Things to Do
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Reassess deal priority.
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Re-qualify your champion.
Questions to Ask
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“What happens if this isn’t solved in the next 6 months?”
What should I be talking about with the Economic Buyer?
Don’t pitch features. Talk ROI, urgency, blockers, and the bigger business case.
Things to Do
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Validate business impact.
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Prioritise strategic alignment.
Questions to Ask
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“Do you agree with the proposed ROI?”
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“Where does this initiative rank against others?”
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“What could stop the project from happening?”
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“Where is the budget coming from and when is it allocated?”
When should I meet the Economic Buyer in MEDDPICC?
As early as possible.
Richard Explains:
“If you haven’t spoken with the EB, that’s likely why your deal is stuck.”
Early EB engagement = higher velocity + better win rates.
Is signing authority enough in Economic Buyer qualification?
No. Always validate who owns the decision.
“Richard Suggests:
"Ideally, you should speak to both the EB and the signatory.”
Things to Do
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Confirm if the signatory has budget authority.
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Check if departmental heads also act as EBs.
Questions to Ask
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“Who signed off the last initiative?”
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“Who else needs to be involved?”
Should I test for veto power or budget ownership when qualifying the Economic Buyer?
Yes. And use specific questions.
Things to Do
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Confirm who controls and assigns budget.
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Understand where this initiative fits in the org’s priorities.
Questions to Ask
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“Is the budget already assigned?”
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“What happens during the sign-off process?”
Common Economic Buyer Mistakes
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❌ Not validating who the EB really is.
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❌ Letting champions block access.
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❌ Confusing titles with decision-making power.
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❌ Delaying EB conversations until late in the cycle.
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❌ Talking features instead of financial impact.
Final Takeaway on the Economic Buyer in MEDDPICC
“If you haven’t spoken to the budget holder, that’s likely why your deals are stuck.” — Richard Bounds
Accessing and validating the Economic Buyer is one of the most critical parts of MEDDPICC—and it’s non-negotiable for deal progression.
Ready to learn what the D in MEDDPICC stands for (Decision Criteria)? We’ve got a deep dive article here.
Want to fast-track your MEDDPICC success?
Our tailored learning path combines training workshops with 1:1 coaching to make sure learnings stick.
Book a call with our team to see how we can help your reps master MEDDPICC.
