A Closer Look At Champions

In this episode, John McMahon and John Kaplan discuss the process of champion building in B2B sales. They emphasize the importance of identifying potential champions early in the sales process and developing strong relationships with them. They also highlight the need for sales reps to earn trust, educate champions, and provide value throughout the sales cycle. The episode explores various strategies for testing champions and collaborating with them to achieve successful outcomes. Tune in to this conversation with John McMahon and John Kaplan on the Revenue Builders podcast. HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT [00:00:42] Definition and importance of champions in sales [00:06:00] Definition of a champion: power, influence, and vested interest [00:09:13] Indications of power and influence in a potential champion [00:11:17] Building trust and uncovering information through precise questioning [00:21:46] Differentiating between a coach and a champion [00:23:33] Importance of authority and influence in the sales process [00:29:19] Developing coaches by educating them, aligning them with critical business issues, and connecting them with executives [00:34:11] Adding value to champions throughout the process builds trust and confidence [00:37:21] Sales leaders should measure accomplishment, not just activity [00:52:13] Setting clear criteria and expectations to prevent competition from changing the rules ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Learn more about aligning customer-facing teams to improve execution: https://forc.mx/48o1jyP HIGHLIGHT QUOTES [00:58:47] "It starts to become really collaborative because they're now on your team, like we talked about, and they're part of your team. They have invested interest in it. They have personally winning it, whether it's recognition, approval, control, money." [01:00:42] "If I truly have somebody that is the definition of a champion, where they have power and influence, they're actively selling on my behalf, and they have a vested interest in my success, and I understand that happens over time, but if I truly have the markings and the identification of somebody like this, I'm not alone."