Champions, Power and Influence

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan discuss the pivotal role of champions in accelerating sales performance. John McMahon explains the necessity of earning trust, educating, and developing champions to effectively sell on your behalf. He emphasizes the importance of differentiating your product and preparing champions to handle objections in competitive scenarios. Additionally, the discussion highlights the distinctions between 'coaches' and 'champions' and the significance of understanding influence and authority within an organization. This episode is a comprehensive guide for sales professionals aiming to leverage internal champions to drive success. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00:22] The Role of Champions in Sales [00:00:43] Building Trust and Educating Your Champion [00:01:09] Preparing Champions for Objections [00:01:55] Role-Playing Scenarios with Champions [00:03:41] Defining Coaches vs. Champions [00:04:03] Understanding Influence and Authority [00:05:31] Real-World Example: Selling to the Right Person HIGHLIGHT QUOTES [00:00:48] "First, you got to earn trust and you have to help educate and develop your champion." [00:01:09] "When that champion goes into a meeting to talk about you and your product, there's going to be a competitor's champion in that same room." [00:00:48] "You have to almost make them an internal salesperson because when you're not there, they have to basically sell on your behalf." [00:05:07] "Stay away from Nina and stay away from Annie. Nina is no influence and no authority and Annie is authority and no influence." [00:05:26] "What’s the difference between an org chart and a power chart? Authority and influence." Listen to the full episode through this link: https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-closer-look-at-champions/ Check out John McMahon’s book here: Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging