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Sales Focus: Finding Your Champion

Learn the keys to winning complex sales deals in packaging and processing machinery.

Matt Neuberger

Enterprise sales cycles are becoming increasingly complex in today's packaging machinery industry. According to research from Gartner, large deals involving multiple decision-makers are two to three times more likely to close when an internal advocate, or “champion,” is actively involved. These deals typically have an average of 6.8 stakeholders, each with their own priorities and influence.

Without a champion, aligning the needs and concerns of multiple decision-makers becomes an uphill battle. It’s no longer just about selling your product or service — it’s about managing relationships, ensuring your solution meets varied criteria, and guiding stakeholders toward a shared vision of success. Simply put, you don't have a deal if you don’t have a champion.

Why do you need a champion? 

A champion is an internal advocate with influence, authority, and, most importantly, the willingness to help you win the deal. David Sandler, the founder of Sandler Training, famously said, “If you don’t have a champion, you don’t have a deal.” Champions provide critical insights, help navigate internal politics, and ensure your proposal gets in front of the right people in the right way.

It’s important to distinguish between a “champion” and a “coach.” While a coach can offer valuable advice and guidance, they don’t have the authority or influence to push your deal forward. Only a champion can act as your internal advocate with the power to drive consensus and facilitate decision-making.

Techniques for engaging your champion

Building a relationship with a champion requires skill and strategy. Here are a few methods that can help you leverage the influence of a champion effectively:

1. The pre-posal technique