All the people who must agree before your deal closes, including those who influence but don't sign.
A buying committee is everyone who has to say yes—or can say no. It's not just the person with budget authority. It includes the user, the technical evaluator, the procurement specialist, the CFO signing off on vendor risk, even the department head whose workflow you'll disrupt.
In smaller deals, the committee might be two people. In enterprise, it can be eight or twelve. Missing one person—or misjudging their influence—is why deals stall in the final stages.
You need to know the committee's composition and their concerns early. A CFO worries about contract terms and reference-ability. The IT director worries about integration and support. The end user worries about adoption friction. If you're only talking to the economic buyer and discovery feels good, you might be blind to a veto from someone below them.
On discovery calls, one of your jobs is mapping the committee and understanding what each person needs from you—not just the features they'll use, but the assurances, references, or pilots they need before they feel safe approving.
Assuming a title means a vote. A VP might champion your solution but have a peer with veto power you haven't met. Or assuming one champion can convince the whole committee. Consensus matters more than seniority in most buying decisions. You need visibility into whether the committee is united or fractured before you start drafting a proposal.
Part of our guide to Discovery calls.
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