Champion Development Playbook

WHAT YOUR CHAMPION NEEDS TO SELL INTERNALLY: 1. A simple, repeatable one-liner they can use: "We're looking at [Your Company] because [specific pain]. They've helped [similar company type] achieve [specific outcome]. I think it's worth evaluating." 2. An internal business case (you write it with them): □ Problem statement (in business terms, not tech terms) □ Cost of the problem (quantified) □ Proposed solution and approach □ ROI projection / expected outcomes □ Implementation timeline □ Vendor overview (include your relevant proof points) 3. Answers to objections they'll face: "Here's what [other stakeholders] will probably ask, and how I'd answer..." → [Objection 1 + suggested response] → [Objection 2 + suggested response] → [Objection 3 + suggested response] 4. Reference customers they can speak to: "I can connect you with [similar company] — they were in an identical situation and made this work within [timeframe]." 5. An internal meeting agenda (you write it for them): Subject: [Topic] — 30-minute internal review Attendees: [Champion + Decision Maker + Technical Evaluator] Agenda: [Problem overview → Vendor evaluation → Decision criteria → Next steps]

CHAMPION HEALTH SIGNALS — CHECK WEEKLY: 🟢 Healthy: → Responds within 24 hours → Proactively shares intel → Has a next internal meeting scheduled → Has said "we need this" not just "this is interesting" 🟡 At Risk: → Responses getting slower → Meeting got postponed without rescheduling → Stopped sharing internal context → Starting to say "we'll see" instead of "we're moving forward" 🔴 Champion Lost or Weakened: → No reply in 5+ business days → Deal moved to procurement without warning → Another vendor was brought in without your knowledge → Key contact left the company WHEN YOUR CHAMPION GOES DARK: → Reach out through a different channel (LinkedIn, phone vs. email) → Try to get above them: "Would it be appropriate to brief [their manager] directly?" → Lateral move: identify a secondary champion in another department → Force a decision: "We have limited capacity for new clients in [month] — should we hold a spot or plan to reconnect in [quarter]?"