How to recognize and develop a Champion in an account. Sales Management. Power Base selling

1. Presenter: Darius Lahoutifard
Charleston, SC – January 2007
Champion Building

2. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
Champion‟s characteristics
• Understands, likes and supports our solution.
• Sponsors our solution during internal meetings.
• Is reasonably powerful, not necessarily buying decision.
• Is respected in the company (technical, economic, …)
• Has his/her own personal goals and motivations.
• Uses us as a mean to achieve his/her goals.

3. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
More on champions
• We “need” them to sell. No sales happens without a champion.
• Champion is the “C” of MEDDIC
• More powerful the champion, shorter the sales cycle and bigger
the deal
• Big and strategic accounts may require more than one
champion
• Best person to test a strategy or any action during the sales
campaign

4. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
More on champions
Sympathy to
us
Has power to
recommend
Has power
to buy
Has a personal
goal/mission
Champion Yes Yes maybe Yes
Coach/friend Yes maybe maybe maybe
Economic Buyer maybe maybe Yes maybe

5. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
• People that have been instrumental in bringing in
previous solutions (software/new h.w./etc)
• People that talk about „the good of the company‟
• Newer employees  determine if they are in an
authority position and can influence this early in
• Long-time employees  have they risen through the
ranks or been static in a position for years
Determining Possible
Champions BEFORE Demos

6. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
Determining Possible
Champions during Demos
• People that bring up real problems
• People with the most pertinent questions
• Person who sits by the #1 person
• Go around the room and discuss problems or
something they want out of the presentation
• They may challenge you in the demonstration, in a
constructive manner.

7. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
Building Champions After The Demo
• Understand the person‟s background back to High School
• Get on a personal level, family or not etc.
• Why they are at the current company and good and bad at
previous
• Personal goal, company goals, challenges, problems,
promotions
• Explain your past and status
• Explain how we can help them

8. January 2007 Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved. -- Copy right 2001-2007 -- www.01consulting.net
Test the Champion
• Will he/she provide inside information and org charts
• Will he/she provide the President goals and bosses
• Will he/she test the ROI
• Will he/she set meetings with higher level people
• Role play with him/her and test responses.Test his/her
response to our enemies, and to objections.
• Why buy and partner with us
• How does our solution accomplish personal goal
• Ask for all MEDDIC
• Will he/she get you the PO when you need it?????