How to Build a Champion (And Why You Can’t Win Without One)

In every complex sale, there’s one person who holds the keys.Not the signer.Not the evaluator.

The Champion.

Your Champion is the internal seller — the one who sees your value, believes in the solution, and is willing to fight for it when you’re not in the room.

If you don’t have a Champion, you don’t have a deal. You have a conversation.

So, how do you find one? How do you build one? And most importantly — how do you know if they’re the real deal?

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: How to Recognize a Potential Champion

Not every enthusiastic buyer is a Champion. Look for these three key traits:

1. Has Influence

They may not be the final decision maker, but their voice carries weight. Their opinions matter across the organization.

2. Feels the Pain

They’re personally impacted by the problem your solution solves. They want the change, not just tolerate it.

3. Stands to Win

There’s something in it for them — visibility, success, career impact, relief from chaos. If your deal succeeds, they look good.

Pro Tip:Ask yourself: “If I vanished tomorrow, would this person keep selling for me?”If the answer is no — they’re not a Champion (yet).

🏗 Step 2: How to Build a Champion

Champions aren’t assigned. They’re developed.

Here’s how:

Build Trust Through Value

Don’t just pitch — help. Share insights. Make them smarter in front of their peers. Make them the hero.

“Here’s how other teams have handled this exact issue — I thought of you when I saw it.”

Map Their Personal Wins

Ask:

“What happens for you if this project is successful?”

Tie your solution to their personal goals and KPIs, not just company outcomes.

Arm Them to Sell Internally

A Champion without ammo is just a fan. Send them talk tracks, ROI calculators, security docs — whatever they need to win over skeptics behind closed doors.

Think: Enablement for One.

🧪 Step 3: How to Test Your Champion

It’s easy to mistake a nice buyer for a true Champion. That’s a forecast killer.

Here’s how to run the Champion Test:

🔄 Will They Share Insider Info?

Ask:

“What’s going on behind the scenes that I should know about?”If they give you the real political or process dynamics — that’s Champion behavior.

Will They Advocate?

Ask:

“Would you feel comfortable presenting this internally if I help you build the case?”If they say yes — and follow through — they’re in.

Will They Push Back?

Real Champions challenge you. If they give you fluff answers or avoid risk, they’re not ready yet.

🚩🚩 Red Flags: False Champions

Beware of the following:

• They love your product but aren’t involved in the process.

• They talk a lot but never introduce you up or sideways.

• They ghost when it’s time to bring others in.

These are signs they’re not truly invested — or simply lack influence.

Your MEDDIC Homework:

1. Audit your current deals: Who do you think is your Champion? Use the 3-part test.

2. Set a Champion-Building Objective on your next call — e.g., understand their personal goals or ask for internal intel.

3. Enable your best contact with something valuable to help them sell internally this week.

Final Thought: Champions win deals, not products. If you build one, test one, and equip one, they’ll move mountains for you. If you don’t, you’re always one internal meeting away from losing the deal.

So go build your Champion. They’re waiting for you to give them a reason to fight.

Until next Monday