Champions, Power and Influence

Aug 11, 2024

The podcast dives into the crucial role of champions in boosting sales performance. Trust-building and education are essential for champions to effectively advocate for your product. Listeners learn about preparing champions to handle objections against competitors. The conversation also clarifies the difference between coaches and champions, emphasizing the importance of influence within organizations. Real-world examples highlight strategies for engaging key stakeholders, making this a must-listen for sales professionals.

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Empowering Champions for Effective Advocacy

00:00 • 2min

Understanding Sales Influence: Authority vs. Champions

02:26 • 5min

In this curated episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan discuss the pivotal role of champions in accelerating sales performance. John McMahon explains the necessity of earning trust, educating, and developing champions to effectively sell on your behalf. He emphasizes the importance of differentiating your product and preparing champions to handle objections in competitive scenarios. Additionally, the discussion highlights the distinctions between 'coaches' and 'champions' and the significance of understanding influence and authority within an organization. This episode is a comprehensive guide for sales professionals aiming to leverage internal champions to drive success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:22] The Role of Champions in Sales
[00:00:43] Building Trust and Educating Your Champion
[00:01:09] Preparing Champions for Objections
[00:01:55] Role-Playing Scenarios with Champions
[00:03:41] Defining Coaches vs. Champions
[00:04:03] Understanding Influence and Authority
[00:05:31] Real-World Example: Selling to the Right Person

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:00:48] "First, you got to earn trust and you have to help educate and develop your champion."
[00:01:09] "When that champion goes into a meeting to talk about you and your product, there's going to be a competitor's champion in that same room."
[00:00:48] "You have to almost make them an internal salesperson because when you're not there, they have to basically sell on your behalf."
[00:05:07] "Stay away from Nina and stay away from Annie. Nina is no influence and no authority and Annie is authority and no influence."
[00:05:26] "What’s the difference between an org chart and a power chart? Authority and influence."

Listen to the full episode through this link:
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/a-closer-look-at-champions/

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

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
ttps://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Read Force Management's eBook:
https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging