Don’t Sell to a Committee Like It’s One Person
Let’s talk about what really kills complex deals—and it’s not bad demos or weak ROI decks. It’s single-threading.
AKA: When you build your whole sales motion around one person…
But behind them? There’s a team of silent veto power waiting to strike.
Because in B2B, one champion rarely equals one decision-maker. Your buyer might love it. But the head of finance? The technical evaluator? The skeptical VP with the turf to protect?
They’ve got the power to say “no” without ever telling you why.
The 3 Silent Killers of Enterprise Deals:
They didn’t believe your solution could scale.
They weren’t included early enough to feel ownership.
They felt like the solution solved someone else’s problem—not theirs.
And you never even got a chance to respond.
Here’s how elite reps de-risk the deal:
✅ They map power, not just titles. Forget job roles. Ask: “Who’s got the juice here?” Who controls budget, risk, process, and buy-in? It’s rarely the same person.
✅ They ID the blockers early. Every deal has at least one. (If you haven’t found them, they’re hiding.) Ask your champion: “Who might have concerns about this?” Silence the sabotage before it hits your forecast.
✅ They create value for every voice. If you’re pitching the same deck to the CFO and the ops lead, you’re doing it wrong. Tailor messaging to each player’s goal, pain, and KPI.
✅ They double-thread with purpose. One relationship = fragile. Three = strategic. Use warm intros, ghost notes, or even mutual connections to get deeper in the org.
This week’s challenge: Pick one deal over $25K in your pipeline. List the full buying committee—and identify your champion, blocker, and question mark.
Ask yourself:
Have I built trust with each one? Or am I still selling like it’s a one-person show?
Because in complex sales, one person won’t win your deal. But three can kill it before you ever see it coming.
About Brian Sullivan
Brian Sullivan, CSP, is the author of 20 Days to the Top and a leading voice in sales training and development. He helps sales teams perfect their prospecting and performance with PRECISE Selling.
