3 Ways to Get Access to POWER In Sales (Monthly Q&A w/Chris Orlob)

Summary

In this video, the speaker provides strategies for overcoming the common challenge of dealing with prospects who lack decision-making power. The focus is on champion development, where the goal is to identify or create a champion—someone willing and able to bring you to the economic buyer. The speaker shares practical techniques like discovering who else in the organization is impacted by a challenge, setting a social contract for demo meetings, and directly addressing the situation when a person refuses to involve decision-makers. These tactics aim to help salespeople navigate complex B2B sales cycles and secure access to key stakeholders.

Takeaways

• 😀 Understand that a champion in sales is someone who is both willing and able to bring you to the economic buyer.
• 😀 If a prospect isn't yet a champion, you can develop them by identifying significant pain points they care about and demonstrating how you can solve them.
• 😀 If the person you're speaking to cannot become a champion, you may need to find a different champion within the same organization.
• 😀 One effective technique for gaining access to higher-level decision-makers is asking who else is impacted by the challenge you're discussing, and then suggesting including them in the next demo.
• 😀 Setting a social contract is a powerful way to negotiate access to power by making a reciprocal agreement—like getting a higher-level decision-maker involved after a demo.
• 😀 If a contact isn't willing to bring you to the decision-maker, call it out directly and ask them to explain why they aren't willing to involve the economic buyer.
• 😀 There are three possible reasons why someone might not be willing to involve the economic buyer: lack of trust, they don't think it's necessary, or the buyer refuses to be involved.
• 😀 If the prospect doesn't trust you enough to bring you to their boss, have a conversation about what they need to see from you to earn that trust.
• 😀 If they believe the economic buyer isn't needed, coach them on why involving the economic buyer is essential for the deal's success.
• 😀 If the economic buyer refuses to be involved, it indicates that the person you're speaking with might not be a true champion and may not have the ability to move the deal forward.

Q & A

What is the definition of a 'champion' in the context of B2B sales?

A champion is someone who is both willing and able to bring you to the economic buyer (the decision-maker). They are crucial in facilitating a sale by ensuring the right people are involved in the decision-making process.

What is the first thing to consider when you discover that your contact lacks power or knowledge during a discovery call?

The first thing to understand is whether your contact has the potential to become a champion. If they can develop into one by understanding and caring about significant pain points, they could become a valuable asset for your sales process.

How do you turn someone into a champion if they don't already fit the role?

You turn them into a champion by identifying significant pain points that they care about and demonstrating how your solution can address those pains. This shows them the value of involving the economic buyer, thus increasing their willingness to act as a champion.

What should you do if your contact doesn't have the authority to bring you to the economic buyer?

You need to assess whether they have the potential to become a champion or if you need to identify someone else within the organization who can bring you to the decision-maker.

What is the 'Who-Based Impact' technique and how can it help you gain access to power?

The 'Who-Based Impact' technique involves asking your contact who else in the organization is impacted by the problem you're addressing. Once they mention others, you can leverage this to involve those individuals in the next steps, such as a demo, making it difficult for them to refuse.

What is the purpose of setting a social contract during a sales call?

A social contract is an agreement where you ask your contact to sponsor a meeting with a higher-up, such as the economic buyer, after a demo. This ensures reciprocity and commitment from the contact, which increases the chances of moving the deal forward.

How can you address resistance when a contact is hesitant to bring in the economic buyer?

You can call it out directly by explaining the three possible reasons they might not want to involve the economic buyer: lack of trust in you, they don't think the economic buyer is necessary, or the economic buyer refuses to get involved. Then, you can work through each reason to find a solution.

What should you do if your contact doesn’t trust you enough to broker a meeting with their boss?

You should ask what you need to do to build trust and credibility. This allows you to address any concerns they have and potentially move forward with gaining access to the economic buyer.

What is the most common reason a deal gets stuck when the economic buyer isn’t involved?

The most common reason is that the deal doesn’t progress because the contact is either not a true champion or they aren't able or willing to get the economic buyer involved. Without the involvement of the decision-maker, the deal is unlikely to close.

How can you tell if the person you're speaking with is truly a champion?

A true champion is someone who is both willing and able to bring you to the economic buyer. If they are unwilling or unable to do that, they are not a champion, and you should look for another person within the organization who can fulfill this role.