BitcoinAddict

AE

Valued Contributor

Champion wants us, decision makers unresponsive. What to do sales pros?

So basically, decision makers tell our champion to evaluate our platform since they heard good things. Champion never heard of us until evaluation, so technically they became a champion over time. After 3 months of the sales process which included a couple of disco calls, a couple presentations, two demos (one with the champion so he can highlight what leadership wants and another with leadership but barely anyone showed up), and pricing presentation, we are stuck.

Now, champion and I are having a quick call every week and it is the same stuff. I am being told that they don't even have their usual meetings anymore because leadership is too busy to even meet with everyone. Informed me that leadership has been all over the place for the past month and has not had the time to evaluate the agreement I sent yet.

I told champion we can continue to build the case and champion got pissed. Tells me "no, you're not hearing me here. Leadership is interested, I am sold, but we have not had the time to even sit down and thoroughly evaluate your agreement!".

It's like now I am at the mercy of my champion and this deal can easily set up to exceed quota for the rest of the year. If I push too much, I piss off the champion. If I wait, I risk it slipping into next quarter. What the heck do I do?

☁️ Software Tech

🗝 Sales Enablement

9

14 comments

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braintank

Politicker

4

Enterprise Account Executive

Remember -- this deal is your #1 priority and focus. It is probably 1 of 20 things your guy is working on.

Show a little empathy.

"Listen, I know you want to get this done, and I understand how busy y'all have been. We say "time kills all deals" and you and I both don't want that to happen. What's the best way to move forward?"

braintank

Politicker

3

Enterprise Account Executive

Or, have your boss reach out to decision maker there. We used to call this "shake the tree".

Tell them -- "Listen, my boss is up my ass about this deal. They want to reach out to your leadership to align on steps to getting this done".

LordOfWar

Tycoon

1

Blow it up

^ This!!!!

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

3

Sales

Simple questions.
What are the next steps on your end?
When do you anticipate signing?
What if anything are internal roadblocks?

“I’m here to partner with you, not to push you, what do we do as partners to close this?”

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

2

AE

We meet again on Monday, he told me he should have some news for me by then as he is trying to push this. In the meantime, my boss has told me to prepare a cost of inaction type of presentation (how much they will lose financially) that he can share with leadership.

Thing is, we have been going back and forth like this for a month. He tells me he is trying to hear back from leadership and no fucking dice.

braintank

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Those types of tactics rarely end well.

Has your boss reached out to their boss?

LordOfWar

Tycoon

1

Blow it up

I gotta disagree, at least for me cost loss analysis worked quite well. I structured it to give my champion ammunition and made them look good.

I closed a 3-year agreement from a notorious yearly buyer by showing their top management the amount they stood to lose if they didn't accept our proposal. I was stuck in the same endless contract review and inaction.

I had given them a discount already in good faith, so their loss would have been stupidly painful which helped make it more obvious.

I do agree it is not the right solution for everyone.

braintank

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Well put. I just cringe with messaging around: if you don't sign by X the price is going up by Y.

LordOfWar

Tycoon

1

Blow it up

Totally, you have to make it real not just a deadline price increase.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

This is why I always send a recap email with clear action items for the prospect and myself and set a meeting to discuss the action items being completed. Holds everyone accountable, and keeps the deal on a timeline without the added pressure.

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

This is the way.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

yeah been here for sure! you have to make sure you stay on the same team as your champion. Empathy is key. Be frustrated with the same things they are,. I totally agree with what @brain
is saying. it doesnt sound like you need to give the champion ANYTHING else.....you just have to get the DM to look at shit.

The next meeting i would agree that going in with the "hey my boss is up my ass about this" approach is a good one.

I have done this before too ill say something like "my boss keeps asking me for an update just like I keep asking you and idk what to tell him. What would you think about this (suggest your boss reach out to the DM directly)"

SaaSguy

Tycoon

1

Account Executive

Executive alignment!!!

EQSales

Opinionated

0

VP of Sales

1- this person might not be a champion by definition, in that a champion must have clout enough to get DMs/EBs to the table for something important. that is one potential root cause. if that is the case, focus on who all stands to benefit and work with your contact to gather ground swell and in the process potentially finding a new champion who can make the DMs listen. I have no context but the reaction you describe to you suggesting to build the case also makes me concerned this is more of a coach than someone who truly is backing you at their own peril/risk. what is this person's PERSONAL win if this deal gets done? is there one, what's in it for them?

2-agreed that having empathy and then being genuinely curious about all the things they are working on, and how timelines have changed. use this as a chance to reaffirm why they are looking at your solution and the value. sounds like your deal is important but not urgent. understand why that is and determine if you can add value in some way to help unlock the bottleneck or reprioritize the solution you are pitching.

3- executive from your company can reach out and fain ignorance and just ask what they can do to help as they understand you are close to partnership, and just convey their support. sometimes it just needs to get on their radar

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