You’ve had a great first call. The champion loves your product. They say all the right things: ‘This is exactly what we need.’ You leave feeling like the deal is done. It’s not.
Enterprise selling is stakeholder navigation. Your champion is one node in a complex network of decision-makers, influencers, blockers, and budget holders. Understanding that network is your job.
I learned this the hard way on a deal that should have closed in Q3. My champion was a VP of Engineering. He had authority, budget, and urgency. What he didn’t have was alignment with the CISO, who had veto power over any new vendor. I didn’t know the CISO existed until week 11.
Here’s a simple framework I use now: for every deal, map three things. First, who benefits from this change? Those are your allies. Second, who is threatened by this change? Those are your potential blockers. Third, who controls the money? That’s your economic buyer.
The mistake most sellers make is treating the champion as the deal. The champion is the door. Behind that door is a building full of people who all need to be comfortable with the decision.
Your job isn’t to convince everyone. It’s to understand what each stakeholder cares about and make sure your champion can articulate the value in their language. Give your champion the ammunition to sell internally. That’s how enterprise deals actually close.
