Your Biggest Fan May Never Buy From You
Every salesperson enjoys having a champion.
They're responsive. They like your ideas. They speak positively about your solution. They make every meeting feel productive.
Then the deal stalls.
A champion can open the door. They rarely close the deal alone.
One of the easiest traps in sales is spending too much time with the person who already agrees with you.
The conversations are comfortable.
The relationship is strong.
Your confidence grows after every meeting.
Meanwhile, the people who actually approve budgets, evaluate risk, or make the final decision have never met you.
Comfort creates relationships. Progress requires access.
If you've found a strong internal supporter, focus on helping them build influence.
Ask who else is involved. Every meaningful purchase affects more than one person. Learn who participates in the decision and what matters to each of them.
Strengthen your champion. Give them language, examples, and insights they can confidently share with others inside the organization.
Request introductions, not permission. Ask whether it would be helpful to meet with the broader decision-making group together. Position the conversation as support for your champion, not a way around them.
Look for commitment from the organization. A growing opportunity involves more stakeholders over time. If months pass and only one person remains engaged, the deal may not be advancing.
Champions are valuable. Relationships matter.
Neither replaces access to the people responsible for making the decision.
The strongest sales professionals build advocates while steadily expanding the conversation to everyone who has a voice in the outcome.
Take a look at your active opportunities.
Which deals have true organizational support? And which ones are depending on one friendly contact to carry the entire sale?
Champions matter. Decision-makers matter more. PRECISE Performers are trained to identify buying committees, engage the right stakeholders, and help your team reach the people who can actually move opportunities forward.
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.
