champion-development
Champion Development
A champion is an internal advocate at the prospect's company who has influence, access to the economic buyer, and a personal stake in your product succeeding. They sell when you're not in the room. Without a champion, enterprise deals stall, committees default to "no decision," and competitors with stronger internal advocates win. Champion development is the single most important skill in complex B2B sales.
The principle: a champion is not someone who likes you. It's someone who will spend their political capital to push your deal through their organization. Liking your product is necessary but not sufficient. The champion must be willing to act: schedule internal meetings, share materials with the EB, push back on blockers, and give you honest feedback when the deal is at risk.
Champion vs Coach vs Fan
| Type | Definition | Power | Willingness to act | Value to the deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Has influence. Access to EB. Personal stake. Actively sells internally | High | High | Critical. Deals with champions close at 2-3x the rate |
| Coach | Gives you information (org structure, politics, timelines). May lack influence | Low-medium | Medium (information, not action) | Useful but not sufficient. A coach without a champion = a stalled deal |
| Fan | Likes your product. Enthusiastic in meetings. Does nothing outside them | Varies | Low (passive) | Dangerous. Creates false confidence. "They love us" but nobody's selling internally |