If you spend hours digging through LinkedIn, scouring company org charts, or firing off emails that never land with the right person, you’re not alone. Finding actual decision makers at big companies is frustrating—especially when most tools just dump a list of job titles and hope for the best. This guide is for sales pros, recruiters, and anyone who actually needs to get in front of the right people, not just blast out another cold email.
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s how to actually use Infotelligent advanced search to pinpoint decision makers at real enterprise companies—and not waste your time on dead-end leads.
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You’re After (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even touch a search tool, you need to know what a “decision maker” means for your business. Is it a VP? Director? The person who actually signs contracts, or the one who controls the budget? Sometimes it’s both, and sometimes it’s neither.
Quick sanity check: - Who actually needs to say yes for your deal to go through? - Are you selling to IT, HR, marketing, finance, or the C-suite? - What size of company are you targeting? (Not all “enterprise” means Fortune 500.)
Pro tip: Write this down. A lot of wasted time comes from chasing people who can’t (or won’t) help you.
Step 2: Set Up Advanced Search in Infotelligent
Once you’re clear on your target, log into Infotelligent. Their advanced search is where the real filtering happens—it’s not perfect, but it’s better than most.
The Filters You Should Actually Use
- Company size: Stick to “enterprise” ranges (usually 1,000+ employees). Don’t get cute with smaller buckets unless you have a good reason.
- Industry: Be specific. “Technology” is too broad, but “enterprise SaaS” or “healthcare IT” narrows things down.
- Seniority level: Infotelligent lets you filter by job level (e.g., C-level, VP, Director, Manager). Unless you have a reason to go lower, start at Director and up.
- Job function: This is where you map your solution to the right department. Selling HR tech? Filter for HR, People, or Talent. Selling security? Target IT and InfoSec.
- Location: Only filter here if geography really matters for your offering.
What to ignore: - “Keywords” search is hit-or-miss. It can help, but it’s often inconsistent—titles and job descriptions vary a ton. - Overly narrow filters. If you get zero results, loosen up. Better to sort through a few extra names than get nothing.
Pro tip: Save your search criteria. You’ll tweak it over time, and Infotelligent lets you revisit or clone searches.
Step 3: Review and Refine the Results
You’ll get a list of contacts. This is where most people get lazy and just export the list—don’t. Here’s what to actually do:
Scan for Real Decision Makers
- Check titles, not just levels: “Director of Operations” at a 5,000-person company might be a gatekeeper, not a decision maker. “Head of…” sometimes carries more weight than “VP” depending on the org.
- Look for dual roles: Titles like “VP, Finance & Strategy” often mean broader influence.
- Watch out for fluff: “Evangelist,” “Guru,” or “Lead” might sound fancy, but often aren’t the budget-holder.
Company Fit Matters
- Double-check company size and industry. Infotelligent’s data is good, but not perfect. Google the company if something looks off.
- If you spot a “Director” at a company with only 200 employees, that’s not enterprise—even if it sneaks through the filters.
Don’t Blindly Trust the Data
No database is perfect. People change jobs, get promoted, or fudge their titles. If you see a weird title, open LinkedIn and check the profile. It takes 30 seconds and saves a lot of embarrassment.
Step 4: Use Contact Info (But Don’t Spam)
Infotelligent gives you direct dials and emails, which is great—until you realize blasting everyone is a fast way to get marked as spam.
How to Reach Out
- Personalize everything: Use what you see in their job description or company news. If you start with “To whom it may concern,” you’re wasting your shot.
- Reference something specific: “Saw you just rolled out X project—curious if you’re looking at solutions for Y.”
- Don’t pitch immediately: Start a conversation. Decision makers get pitched 20 times a day; stand out by showing you did the homework.
Pro tip: Test a few emails/calls before going all-in. If you’re getting no response, your message is off—or you’re targeting the wrong people.
Step 5: Track, Iterate, and Don’t Trust Automation Too Much
Keep it simple. Use a basic spreadsheet or your CRM to track who you’ve contacted, responses, and what worked. Infotelligent can help with exports, but don’t assume automation will do the thinking for you.
What Actually Works
- Small, targeted lists: 15 hand-picked, well-researched decision makers beat 500 random VPs every time.
- Follow up, but don’t pester: Two or three thoughtful follow-ups are fine. More than that, and you’re just noise.
- Keep your criteria fresh: People change jobs. Re-run your searches every few weeks.
What to Ignore
- “Enrichment” tools that promise to fill in all the blanks. They’re fine for basics, but don’t magically reveal who’s in charge.
- Social selling hacks. Most decision makers aren’t reading random DMs on Twitter or following company hashtags.
Pro Tips and Common Pitfalls
What Works: - Start broad, then narrow as you see what titles and functions respond. - Use LinkedIn and company press releases to double-check big deals or new hires. - Ask for referrals if you hit a gatekeeper—sometimes the assistant is your best friend.
What Doesn’t: - Trusting job titles at face value (especially at startups or fast-growing companies). - Relying just on email. Mix in calls or even mailed notes for big accounts. - Thinking more data = better data. Quality always beats quantity here.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple and Iterate
The truth is, no tool—including Infotelligent—can hand you a magic list of perfect decision makers. But if you start with clear criteria, use advanced search smartly, and actually sanity-check the results, you’ll waste a lot less time.
Don’t chase perfection. Build your first list, reach out, see who replies, and tweak your approach. The fastest way to get better at this is to actually do it—then adjust as you learn. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and you’ll find the right people faster than most.