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How to Respond to "I'm Not the Right Person"

"I'm not the right person" is either a gift or a door closing, and the difference is whether they tell you who is. A genuine redirect gives you a name and context. A brush-off gives you nothing. This page shows how to turn the first into a warm introduction and how to recognise the second before you waste a week on it.

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How buyers phrase it

  • That's not my area.
  • You'd want to talk to someone else about that.
  • I don't handle that.
  • That sits with a different team.
  • I'm not involved in those decisions.
  • I'm just the [role], you'd need to go higher.

What "I'm not the right person" usually means

Often this is simply true. You have called the wrong person, and they are telling you so. That is useful, and the quality of your response determines whether they help you find the right one. Someone who is not the decision maker often knows exactly who is, how that person likes to be approached, and what they are currently dealing with. That is intelligence you cannot get any other way, and it is only available if you treat the wrong person as a colleague rather than an obstacle.

The brush-off version uses "not the right person" to avoid saying "not interested". The tell is that they will not give you a name, or they give you a department rather than a person, or they say "I'll pass it along" without any intention of doing so. In this case, pressing for a name turns a polite exit into an awkward one. Ask once, and if nothing comes, thank them and go.

There is a third case worth noticing: the person who is more involved than they are admitting. Many purchases are influenced by people who do not sign the contract, and a buyer who says "I'm not the decision maker" may still be the person who writes the requirements or runs the evaluation. Before you ask who decides, ask who else is involved; the answer sometimes includes them.

Ask before you answer

Most reps respond to the words. The better move is to find out what is behind them first.

  • Who would be the right person, and what's their role?
  • Are you involved in that area at all, even if you don't make the final call?
  • What's the best way to approach them: should I mention we spoke?
  • What's on their plate at the moment that I should know about?
  • Is there anyone else who'd have a view on this before it reached them?

The four-step response

1. Acknowledge

Thank them, and mean it. "I appreciate you telling me rather than letting me waste your time" is both true and disarming. Do not sound frustrated or sigh; the person on the phone decides in the next five seconds whether you get a name or a goodbye. Treat them as someone who can help, because they can.

2. Clarify

Ask who, but also ask about their own involvement first. "Are you involved in [area] at all, even if it's not your call?" often reveals an influencer who was about to redirect you away from themselves. Then ask for the right person's name, their role, and what they are dealing with right now. A genuine redirect comes with detail; a brush-off produces a department name and nothing else.

3. Reframe

Reframe the call from "wrong number" to "useful conversation". You are not trying to sell this person anything; you are trying to understand the business so that when you reach the right person, you do not waste their time either. People help with that. Ask what the right person cares about and how they prefer to be contacted, and position the referral as doing their colleague a favour.

4. Ask

Ask for a warm introduction, in that order of preference: a forwarded email, permission to mention their name, or at minimum the correct name and title. "Would you be willing to forward a short note, or should I reach out and mention we spoke?" If they decline both, you have the name at least. If they will not give a name, take the hint and end politely.

Word-for-word responses

On a cold call

Thanks for telling me, I'd rather know now than keep going. Can I ask who does look after [area]? [Listen.] Great. And so I don't go in blind, what's on their plate at the moment? [Listen.] Would it be okay if I mention we spoke when I reach out, or would you rather I didn't? Either way, thank you, you've saved me a lot of time.

On a discovery call

Understood. Before I go and find them, can I check: are you involved in [area] at all, even if you don't sign off on it? [Listen.] That's useful, because usually the person who signs wants to know what the people doing the work think. If you're willing, I'd like to keep you in the loop. Who makes the final call, and what do they tend to care most about?

After a demo

I appreciate you being upfront. Since you've now seen it, you're actually in a good position to help: does it do what your team would need? [Listen.] Okay. Who owns the decision, and what will they want to know that we haven't covered? I'd like to put something together for them, and if you're willing to forward it with a line of your own, that would carry more weight than anything I send cold.

Late in the deal

That's a surprise this late, so let me make sure I understand. We've been working with you as the lead on this; is it that the final sign-off sits elsewhere, or that someone new has taken over? [Listen.] Either way, I'd like to meet them before anything goes to a decision. Can you introduce us? And can you tell me honestly whether you'd still recommend this if they asked you?

By email

Thank you for letting me know, most people don't reply at all. Could you point me to the right person, or forward this to them? If you'd rather not forward it, a name and role is enough and I'll mention that you suggested it, unless you'd prefer I didn't. And if you're involved in [area] in any way, I'd value your view on whether this is worth their time.

What not to say

  • "Who is the right person then?" with a sigh. Tone decides whether you get a name.
  • "Can you just put me through?" You have asked a stranger to spend their credibility on you.
  • Pitching anyway in case they pass it on. They will not, and they will remember the pitch.
  • "Are you sure you're not involved?" You have called them a liar.
  • Cold-calling the named person with "your colleague told me to call" when they did not say that. It gets back to them.

Frequently asked questions

What should you say when a prospect says they're not the right person?

Thank them, ask whether they are involved at all, then ask who is the right person and what that person is dealing with right now. Finish by asking for a warm introduction or permission to mention their name. Treat the wrong person as a source of intelligence rather than an obstacle.

How do you find the decision maker when your contact isn't it?

Ask your contact: who makes the call, what they care about, and how they like to be approached. A genuine contact gives you a name, a role, and context. If they will not, use the title they gave you to research the person yourself, but do not claim a referral you were not given.

Is "I'm not the right person" a brush-off?

Sometimes. A genuine redirect comes with a name and some context. A brush-off gives you a department, a vague "I'll pass it along", or nothing. Ask once for the name; if it does not come, the person is using it as an exit and you should end the call politely.

Should you ask a non-decision maker for a referral?

Yes, in a way that costs them nothing. Ask whether they would forward a short note, or whether you can mention you spoke. Do not ask them to transfer the call or to vouch for you; they do not know you. A low-cost ask gets a yes far more often than a high-cost one.

How do you sell to someone who influences but doesn't decide?

Keep them in the deal. Influencers write requirements, run evaluations, and tell the decision maker what the team thinks. Ask for their view on fit, give them materials they can share, and ask them to introduce you upward. A deal with an engaged influencer and a decision maker is stronger than one with only the signer.

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