WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:04.480 I like the concept of big our business relationship, little our personal relationship, 2 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:09.039 and I think those two things go in and glove really really well. I 3 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:16.600 think it's important that they know that you are real Burton. You're listening to 4 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:21.039 the Audible Ready Podcast, the show that helps you and your teams sell more 5 00:00:21.239 --> 00:00:25.199 faster. We'll feature sales leaders sharing their best insights on how to create a 6 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:29.640 sales engine that helps you fuel repeatable revenue growth, presented by the team at 7 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:33.960 Force Management, a leader in B to B sales effectiveness. Let's get started. 8 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:40.039 Hello and welcome to the Audible Ready Sales Podcast. I'm Rachel clapp Miller. 9 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:44.520 Today we are going to talk about what closing your deal, but also 10 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:49.880 more specifically, staying aligned with your champion. And Brian Walls joins me today 11 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:53.600 for this conversation. Hi Brian, Hi Rachel, Well, how are you 12 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.920 good? Good? Champions are such a big topic, right, It's something 13 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.399 whenever we have an article or a podcast or a video on champions, it 14 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:07.120 always does really well. I know. We just did a Revenue Builders podcast 15 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:11.879 with Richard Rivera who wrote a whole book on champions. Oh. I hope 16 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.879 I don't mess up today because I haven't heard that one yet, so we'll 17 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.480 Suffice is saying. My whole point is we're not going to get to it 18 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:21.719 all in this podcast. Yeah yeah, but want to cover a little bit 19 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.079 about We talk about testing your champion, developing your champion, but I want 20 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.000 to talk about staying aligned with the champions throughout the sales process. And for 21 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:34.120 some of you listening, I know your sales processes can be pretty long. 22 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.519 So let's talk about that today. And I know Brian that we've had plenty 23 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:42.879 of conversations about getting multi threaded in your deal and coming up with the collective. 24 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:48.319 Yes, and so when we talk about this concept of champion, you 25 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:52.439 a champion is a definite asset, but you can't stop with just the champion. 26 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:57.239 Yeah, so great place to start, right, I mean great champions, 27 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:01.120 right, And I'm assuming here that everybody's good with the difference between a 28 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.640 coach and a champion, and coaches are good. I want to be very 29 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.520 clear. Having coaches is good because to your point, you have to have 30 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:10.800 more than one for involving you to deal. Right. If your deal's got 31 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:16.159 four, six, eight, multiple people involved and you've got a true champion, 32 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:21.400 that's great. But the thing that that one person alone is going to 33 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:24.680 get those other five, six, eight, ten people across the line is 34 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:30.400 probably a misinformed point of view. That is pretty rare. Right, Even 35 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:35.039 the greatest champions can rarely win the game all by themselves. It's kind of 36 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.919 what we're saying here. So that means you've got a responsibility to make sure 37 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:44.680 that as you're developing that champion relationship. And this is a good example of 38 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:47.360 the difference in terms of relationship in terms of what I call big ARE and 39 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:52.960 little R little R. Little R relationship is we go to lunch, we 40 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.439 play golf, etc. Right, big are is this kind of thing. 41 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:01.280 We have business conversations, We have deep conversations about all the other players in 42 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.479 the deal. What do those people care about? How are we aligning to 43 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:08.759 their metrics, How are we helping them think through based on the seat that 44 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:13.800 they send into the decision process, the stuff that they need to think about 45 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:17.759 to get to a great outcome from a technical buying perspective or an economic buying 46 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:23.960 perspective or an implementation perspective. So I've got Rachel, who I've built this 47 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:28.960 great, big our relationship with because she and I both care about the business 48 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:32.759 she has metrics and business outcomes that she's trying to achieve that really make her 49 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:38.879 a crime candidate to be our champion because she's personally connected to those things. 50 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:43.319 Is all great, but I've got to make sure that I'm helping her constantly 51 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:47.360 remind herself of the collective picture of the other five, seven, nine people 52 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:51.319 that are involved in this, and I have to play an active role in 53 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.479 that. I can't just assume that Rachel knows what those people care about, 54 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:59.560 who those people even are, how they're feeling about this decision process and all 55 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.879 those things. So I hope that's scrapped in the itch for you, because 56 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:06.280 for me, it was always about, Hey, I've got this champion in 57 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:13.039 Rachel, but what am I doing next to help her continue to see the 58 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.199 picture or the bigger picture that aligns with all these other players in the deal 59 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:20.759 and think through how are we actively going to go start to fill in some 60 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:24.759 of those gaps with one of those folks or two of those different folks. 61 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:29.519 Great points, I mean, the champion is a great tool to have in 62 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:32.439 your deal, but they're not a magic bullet, and you can't abdicate your 63 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:38.480 responsibility for building the collective yes, aligning to the different departments. Just because 64 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:41.639 you have a champion, well you know what I mean. You know I 65 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.560 have a music background. It just makes me think of the conductor versus the 66 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:49.839 individual artists playing different instruments. The champions are conductor, which is great. 67 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.759 Like I just saw the Cleveland Orchestra a couple of months ago, one of 68 00:04:53.800 --> 00:04:58.759 the top five orchestras in the world, and the conductor is amazing. But 69 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:01.800 if there ain't in anybody playing the right parts at the right time, doesn't 70 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:05.920 matter how good here he is. And that's kind of the thing I think 71 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:11.199 about, like, I got to make sure I'm helping that person see these 72 00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:15.319 different sections of the orchestra and make sure that we're helping them play their part. 73 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.800 So let's talk about aligning to that conductor, not at we've kind of 74 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:23.040 level set everybody around that. When you were selling and a note, or 75 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:28.279 even now when you are moving forward deals for us, what were your best 76 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:33.319 practices for checking in. That's a great question. It's also a great phrase 77 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:38.279 checking in. Let's start with that. Let's start with the premise that I 78 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:42.360 don't believe you have the right to quote unquote check me in, right, 79 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:46.240 and people do this all the time. You see subject aligned in the email 80 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:49.600 that take just checking in? Right, Oh, that's the first thing. 81 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:56.240 Checking in waste people's time, right, And it makes you look I think 82 00:05:56.279 --> 00:06:00.120 I'm professional. So there's a couple pieces of advice here. If you think 83 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:03.319 you've got a champion, or you know you've got a champion, never check 84 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:09.480 in. That probably applies to a greater subset of people. But don't check 85 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:16.519 in. Have a real purpose that's valuable for that person and make them want 86 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:21.079 to spend that time with you as a result. Right, And I'm kind 87 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:25.199 of doing this on the fly, But you know, I had the opportunity 88 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:28.360 to meet up with somebody who happened to be here where I live in town 89 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:32.000 last week. He was in town with his bout to family, and so 90 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:38.480 we meet up and we had a really great chat and at the end I 91 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:41.120 said, you know, Lan, I'm gonna send you a note tomorrow with 92 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:44.600 just a couple of thoughts on that that that would be perfect. That's a 93 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.399 good example. I could have the next day said hey, if you check 94 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.959 it in, how do you think the meeting went? That's great to see 95 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:56.680 you. But instead, you know, I titled the subject of the email 96 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:01.319 very specifically to a critical conversation we were having with him in his firm, 97 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:05.639 and then I said, hey, great Totha yesterday, here are three big 98 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:10.399 things we talked about that we've got to get you and the right other people 99 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:13.240 from you know, I named a few other people from his executive team that 100 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:17.319 we got to get in the room. And that's maybe on the fly example 101 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:19.759 that maybe everybody's saying, well, of course you would do that, but 102 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:24.360 people do this all the time. They just throw up this hey checking in 103 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:29.600 right, what's new kind of thing, And I think you got to you 104 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.639 got to make sure that you're really pointed. I'm reaching out for a specific 105 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:38.079 reason that's valuable to you. I think there's a couple other things. I 106 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:44.160 try to always make it about them, both from a business perspective and a 107 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:47.600 personal perspective. I like the concept of big our business relationship, little our 108 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:53.240 personal relationship, and I think those two things go hand and glove really really 109 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:57.079 well. I think it's important that they know that you are a real person 110 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:01.000 and that you authentically care about who they are. Those kinds of things. 111 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.560 I think the other thing I like to remember, and someone we've done some 112 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:09.160 work with the boor named Scott Rudy taught me this probably eight years ago, 113 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:13.399 and i'd been in sale for twenty five bofe years at that point. As 114 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.560 Scott thought, reminded me of something that you know, every time you reach 115 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:20.319 out, you should always start with something personal that attaches you. Know, 116 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:24.199 so God as a Pittsburgh English fan, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan. So 117 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:28.120 we now have this long standing and it's been a while since we've connected on 118 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.240 an email, but whenever we do, it always starts with some sort of 119 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:35.639 Pittsburgh Cleveland jab and that's a nice way to kind of remind ourselves of the 120 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.919 personal side of the relationship. And I think, well, I'll stop there. 121 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.399 There's a couple of other maybe best practices from the in terms of the 122 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:46.559 care and feeding of champions I'd like to share as we go down the line, 123 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:50.720 but that would be my take. Don't check in, show up with 124 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.840 purpose. Show up with purpose. I love to And you know, I'm 125 00:08:54.919 --> 00:09:01.519 also reminded of a conversation that we had recently on decision process and coming up 126 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:03.200 with that combined timeline with your customer. I mean, if you have a 127 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:07.639 combined timeline that you have agreed on that works with or without your solution. 128 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:13.159 That can give you some benchmarks and reason to check in with purpose, Like, 129 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:15.960 Hey, I know you're looked to be at this point by this date. 130 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.440 If we want to do that, we need to do X y Z 131 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:22.559 right. What a perfect example, Rachel, Because now the stuff again on 132 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:26.960 the fly, the stub deeck maanner can be timeline update. Oh really, 133 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:31.600 what's going on? Hey, I'm reaching out because you get said either the 134 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:35.480 timelines week set and I've got some concerns about that flipping if you and I 135 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:39.320 don't do the following a couple of things this week, let's chat about how 136 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:41.519 we get those things done. Like, I think that's a really good example. 137 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:48.559 Always have purpose that helps the champion, not you exactly exactly. And 138 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:52.320 you've talked a lot about too, this idea of owning the next step in 139 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:56.840 a meeting, right, but I feel like that plays into this too. 140 00:09:56.279 --> 00:10:03.559 You want to be with purpose to your point, moving the deal forward, 141 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:07.679 pushing it forward, advancing it in some way with your reachouts. Again, 142 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:11.480 you've hit the nail on the head. And I think the idea of you 143 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:18.200 thinking ahead for the champion benefit and say, hey, this is the stuff 144 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.679 that's got to get done. So I'm walking into the meeting knowing not only 145 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:26.639 was the objective to this conversation, but where are we naturally heading? Assuming 146 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:31.399 we can achieve that objective? And if I show up owning the next step, 147 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.600 knowing what those next two or three things are, I'm not a leaving 148 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:39.159 it up to you. Even the best of the champions don't always know what 149 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.159 the next step is, right, So if I leave it up to you, 150 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:46.000 there's a good chance that something gets blossed or myth which only delays maybe 151 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:50.600 side tracks that are are up. I think you nailed it right. Well. 152 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.240 You mentioned the big way we can go wrong is to just check in 153 00:10:54.279 --> 00:11:01.039 and not have purpose and sending random emails based on your because because because my 154 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:05.039 boss only, I have to send action or email today, or I have 155 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:07.320 to have stick appointments a week. You know that kind of stuff. And 156 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.200 don't get me wrong, I agree that what we do for living includes an 157 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:16.480 activity level. That's hie. I'm not saying that, But if the moment 158 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:24.360 you start substituting quality with quantity only, I think you got a problem right 159 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.360 now. It's just like you know, I've never been a big believer in 160 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:31.080 spray and spray strength. I love that that's kind of your big stop sign 161 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:37.559 to avoid around this topic. But where are some other areas that sellers can 162 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:43.000 go wrong when they're trying to stay aligned with a champion? I kind of 163 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.399 mentioned it. Great question, by the way. One of the things I 164 00:11:46.440 --> 00:11:52.840 would strongly suggest that you got to constantly check yourself for is what I'm about 165 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:58.240 to you or ask for or you know, talk to this champion or anybody 166 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:03.120 for that matter about is it self serving or is it for them? And 167 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:07.240 I'll be the first admit there are times that you do things in a sales 168 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:11.639 campaign that maybe are a little more self serving, but I think jacting that's 169 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:15.919 a bad thing, right, everything in moderation, but you have to make 170 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:22.399 sure that what you are doing in the moment is serving the appropriate purpose and 171 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:26.000 person in the right way. So, you know, the lower your self 172 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:33.440 orientation the better, because customers can smell a salesperson a mile away who's got 173 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:37.519 a very high self orientation and that means I only care about me, right. 174 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:39.559 The higher that number of the more I care about me, and the 175 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:43.360 less they care about you. So I think that's a big thing it's it's 176 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:46.480 very interesting. It's hard to get there, I think for a lot of 177 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:50.080 people, because you know, our mindset is I've got to go sell something. 178 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.960 I have a number to hit. I get that. But what you'll 179 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.320 find over time is if you have and there's a great book out there called, 180 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:58.320 Oh I'm looking at it, Give and Take. It's a great book, 181 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:03.720 and it reminds you that the best professionals of the world, to include 182 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:09.639 sellers, are givers, not takers. Because over time, that giving mentality 183 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:13.600 starts to come back to you, because people realize that. When I talk 184 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:20.039 to Rachel, Rachel's typically all is about giving. It's amazing what happens when 185 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.639 you just start to give, right. So I think that's the mistake that 186 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.440 we have a tendency to make. We get so wrapped up in I have 187 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:31.159 a number that deals in the forecast, that some of the wrong behaviors, 188 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.480 unnatural acts start to come out. I think that's the big thing. I 189 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:39.600 think the other thing that I would remind people of is and it's somewhat attached 190 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:43.519 to what I just mentioned, But and John Kaplan and I have known each 191 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.240 other for a long long time. John pought me this a long time ago 192 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:50.120 when we are in management development together. Is the idea that I stole from 193 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:54.519 him and he still believes in it. I totally agree with him, which 194 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:58.000 is the idea of making sure your scampion gets the credit. Right. There's 195 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:01.639 there are ways. Now you have to be careful with this because it can 196 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:05.279 come up, as you know, unauthentic if you're not careful. But if 197 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:09.120 you truly have a champion or even a great coach, there are ways that 198 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:15.159 you can get that person the credit that they deserve. And again I think 199 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.440 you have to be very careful with this. You know, John has had 200 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:22.639 this idea that I took from him called the Champion letter. I have probably 201 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:28.279 in my very long tenure in sales and this role, etc. I have 202 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:35.240 probably sent three dozen of those. Maybe now, I've done other things to 203 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.519 make sure my champions get the credit. But when the champion really does something 204 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:43.440 special for their organization, I want to make sure that I do the right 205 00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:48.480 things and communicate that to the right people in a way that is authentic, 206 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:54.399 doesn't sound self serving for me because it's not meant to being and puts the 207 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.639 champion in a good light with the people that matter to them. What I 208 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:00.559 love about what I learned from JOHNA how to do that maybe more than anything 209 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.759 is you do that in a way that the champion doesn't even know what they're 210 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:09.799 coming, right. It should be a very pleasant surprise for the champion when 211 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:13.360 they get a call from their president who said, hey, Rachel, I 212 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.799 want to tell you about the letter I just got today, right, and 213 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.679 thank that. So I think the care and feeding a champion is really really 214 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:28.240 critical because you know, the reminder that another mentor gave me years ago is 215 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:37.600 don't forget today's our user is tomorrow's champion, and today's champion is potentially tomorrow's 216 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:41.720 economic buyer. Right, So the care and feeding of those relationships, that's 217 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:46.039 really really, really critical. So there's a couple of things to be I 218 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:48.639 think that's great. That's rare, some good tips. I know probably have 219 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:52.240 a lot of listeners nodding their head and writing some notes down there. One 220 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:56.200 final question I just wanted to ask, or topic to bring up before we 221 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:00.879 wrap here is we talk about, you know, reach out with purpose, 222 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:06.759 and we hit that several times in this conversation. We also talk about adding 223 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:11.159 value. You want to continuously add value to your customer, and sometimes that's 224 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:15.799 a little bit easier after the deal is done because you they're on the software 225 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.480 and they're using it and you can use it better. How can you add 226 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:22.000 value? I'd love to get your thoughts on this. How can you add 227 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:25.639 value before the deal is done? Kind of in that sales process. One 228 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:29.159 are the things that you can do as a seller? Okay, so I 229 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:32.440 think this or a bit of a fork in the road. You can take 230 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:37.399 two different paths here kind of time on the deal on the deal side of 231 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:41.080 the path, you know, the actual deal that we're pursuing. Just thank 232 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:48.080 medic right, thank am I constantly helping this CAMPI and think through the different 233 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:52.200 metrics that are going to matter in the deal for different people at different levels. 234 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:55.000 Right, The more of those people that we can align around metrics, 235 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:57.440 the better they can all better chance they have getting in a room together and 236 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.159 saying, yeah, this is a good project. Continues of our time and 237 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:06.160 our money, etc. So they medic from a metric standpoint, they decision 238 00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:10.039 criteria. Am I helping? Am I thinking my helping my champion think through 239 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:15.000 all the different decision criteria that all those different people are going to care about. 240 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.240 Right, They're better that thought through the better chance of getting to a 241 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:23.200 collective yet competition, Am I helping my champion think through what's the real competition 242 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:27.519 here? And how can the client be thinking about that? And this is 243 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:30.319 where maybe we start to go forward a little more self serving, which I'm 244 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:34.319 good with. And how do my champion, how does my champion help me 245 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:40.960 navigate those competitive waters, especially if the competition has an active champion or they're 246 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:44.799 already the in place incumbent, those types of things. So I would say 247 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:49.400 feel specific death, think medic because if you've got a true champion, like 248 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:52.839 you want to know, if you have a true champion, walk them through 249 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:57.200 medic, show them your I mean we do this when we have true champions. 250 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:03.279 We show them are opportunity manager, our solution in salesforce, and we 251 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.720 just talk to them about where the deal is from a medic perspective. And 252 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:08.480 if you have a true champion, watch what happens. They start looking at 253 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:14.279 the screen going We'll wait a minute, how come you have decision criteria rates 254 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:17.960 below? And we'll say, well, that's because we don't. We don't 255 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:22.160 think we've fully vetted the decision criteria from the following people's perspective. We don't 256 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:29.000 really think that your criteria is well defined or you have technical metrics around it 257 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.640 and a true champion and you'll face so we got to figure that one out. 258 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.440 True champion will be like, well, let's go like we got to 259 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.799 go meet Rachel, we got to go meet Brian. You know those kinds 260 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:41.759 of things. Now on the non deal specific side, because I think there's 261 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:47.519 this is a two sided point. The other thing you can be doing during 262 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:52.799 a deal pursuit is look for opportunities to build your relationship with your champion that 263 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:56.599 have nothing to do with the deal. Right There's like, Hey, Rachel, 264 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:02.960 I know you're the keep marketing office, or I was thinking there is 265 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.680 an event that I'm aware of coming up. I'm not sure if you're if 266 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:10.039 you're available, or if you're even know about it, but here's some of 267 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:14.119 the value associated for someone in your position. Well, I would love to 268 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.519 get you an invite, right Or Hey, Rachel, I've been thinking after 269 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.039 something like this gets implemented, you know, with us or without us, 270 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:29.359 typically the marketing he's got something they need to do integrated into the business. 271 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:33.720 I'd like to make sure that you know we have this stable filled with other 272 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:37.599 cmos who have done this before. I'd like to introduce you to a couple 273 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.920 of them, because they I think you'd get along with them be I think 274 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:42.920 it would help you think through how do we make sure no matter who we 275 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:47.359 pick, that we implement it well. So maybe that's a little more deal 276 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.920 specific, but it's not about me, right, It's about you getting the 277 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:56.960 success. So whether it thought leadership or event network, etc. Those are 278 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.240 some of the things you can do that I think are a little less feal 279 00:19:59.319 --> 00:20:02.799 specific. At the same time, you're pursuing enough. Well, that's some 280 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:06.559 great tips there, Brian. I think this has been a fruitful conversation, 281 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:10.480 even though it's such such a big topic and there's only so much we can 282 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:12.599 do in a short podcast. But I'd love for you to leave us with 283 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:18.400 some final thoughts. Oh, okay, final thoughts on a Monday, so 284 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:23.759 my brain is engaged. Is engaging first and foremost. You're not gonna like 285 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:27.000 this one, but I'm gonna say that anyhow. Okay, you think you 286 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:30.920 have a champion in your deal, I think you should get in a room 287 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:34.440 with the right people and let them push and push and push to make sure 288 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:37.880 you really have a champion. Right, do you have the right person, 289 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:42.720 Have you really developed them into our champion? And what are we then doing 290 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:48.160 as a result to really continue to test that relationship. Everybody hasn't send me 291 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.759 to go straight too. I've got a champion, Okay, have you tested 292 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:52.640 them? Don't tell me about testing them until you've proved to me that you 293 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:56.839 got the right person. Then you build the relationship. So that's one second 294 00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:03.480 is and I'll say it said it earlier. You've got to make sure that 295 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:10.119 this relationship is all about them, right, And you know, like like 296 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:11.680 I was at the wedding one let me said, hey, remember and I 297 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:15.400 think Chris Rocking is a blank too. Relationships aren't fifty fifty, they're one 298 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:18.160 hundred to one hundred, right. You're either all in or you're not. 299 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:23.279 In my opinion, that's not a champion relationship. Champion relationship. We're all 300 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:26.920 in one hundred or the champion and anything we get back from them is great. 301 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:30.359 But you can't expect the champion to be one hundred in for you because 302 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:34.839 they still have a responsibility to their company, right. So you just have 303 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:38.799 to know that is the relationships a little bit more about them than it is 304 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.400 up And I think that's okay, right, and then last but not lead 305 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:47.160 and that that that goes to the self orientation thing, right, keep yourself 306 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:51.559 orientation well, and I think the last but not leads. The other thing 307 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:56.680 is once you have a champion, once you go you really have a champion, 308 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:59.680 always show up with purpose. As we mentioned. But the other thing 309 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:03.680 is don't apologize. Maybe that's a bad way to say it, but what 310 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:07.799 I mean by that is when you show up with something, just put it 311 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:11.960 on the table, because you know, once you have that relationship, you 312 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:17.400 don't have to fight around the edges, like go right in whatever the conversation 313 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:21.920 needs to be, put it on the table. Don't apologize for that. 314 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:26.240 It's like be ready, know what you gotta get done, and be direct 315 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:29.160 about it. Maybe that's a good way to put it. I like it, 316 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:33.200 And don't check in, No more checking in, all right. Thank 317 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:37.759 you so much, Brian, Thanks Rachel. It was really fun to talk 318 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:40.079 to you. Thank you for letting me start my week this play. Oh. 319 00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:42.960 I appreciate having you, and don't forget we have tons of content on 320 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:48.440 Champions and all the medic components on how to be a great qualifier as a 321 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:52.720 salesperson on a sender. You can check it out my dot asender dot com. 322 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:57.400 Thank you for listening to the Audible Ready Sales podcast. At Force Management, 323 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:03.000 we're focused on transforming sales organizations into elite teams. Are proven methodologies, 324 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:10.039 deliver programs that build company alignment and fuel repeatable revenue growth. Give your teams 325 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:14.519 the ability to execute the growth strategy at the point of sale. Our strength 326 00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:18.920 is our experience. The proof is in our results. Let's get started. 327 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:23.400 Visit us at forcemanagement dot com. You've been listening to the Audible Ready podcast. 328 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:27.359 To not miss an episode, subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast 329 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:29.720 player. Until next time.