Breaking Down the Traits of a Champion with Anne Gary

In this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast
hosted by John McMahon and John Kaplan, Anne Gary, Managing
Director at Force Management, dive into the crucial topic of
identifying and understanding champions in the sales process.
They explore the differences between business champions and
technical champions, the significance of the power chart, and the
role of coaches. Discover how to distinguish between these key
players, the indicators to look for when meeting potential
champions, and the importance of aligning with individuals who
have both authority and influence within an organization.


KEY TAKEAWAYS


[00:01:21] Start with an organization chart to understand the
hierarchy, reporting structure, and positional authority within
an organization.
[00:02:33] Identify not only positional authority but also
influence within the organization, as influence plays a crucial
role in decision-making.
[00:03:44] Just because someone holds a position in the
organization doesn't guarantee their influence in the sales
process, especially with the economic buyer.
[00:04:30] Look for change agents on the "power chart" who have a
track record of making a positive impact on the
organization.
[00:06:02] Influence and authority are independent of hierarchy;
influential champions can be found at various organizational
levels.
[00:07:23] Business champions focus on articulating positive
business outcomes, while technical champions possess deep domain
expertise.
[00:10:10] Champions provide access to the economic buyer's
power, which is essential for controlling the decision
process.
[00:12:26] Coaches offer valuable insights and guidance but may
lack the authority and influence to access the economic
buyer.
[00:13:40] Continuously test conversations to identify whether
you're developing a technical champion or a champion with the
necessary business acumen.
[00:15:11] Business champions address substantial business
problems "above the noise" and speak in terms of business
outcomes.


HIGHLIGHT QUOTES


[00:03:44] "Just because somebody has positional authority in a
company, we can't automatically conclude that they have power in
the organization over a potential decision to buy our
software."
[00:04:30] "Start by looking for change agents on the 'power
chart,' individuals who have made a positive impact on the
organization in the past."
[00:07:23] "Business champions focus on articulating positive
business outcomes, while technical champions possess deep domain
expertise."
[00:10:10] "You really know you're in control when you have a
champion that's selling on your behalf, helping you control the
decision criteria in terms of influence."
[00:15:11] "Business champions address substantial business
problems 'above the noise' and speak in terms of business
outcomes."


Listen to the full episode with Anne Gary in
this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/finding-your-champion-with-anne-gary


Listen to the episode we did with Anne Gary on Economic Buyers
here: 
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/getting-to-the-economic-buyer-with-anne-gary


Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4


Check out Force Management’s Ascender
Platform: 
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/