Every complex B2B deal has one internal player who really gets it. They understand what your product can do, they want it to happen, and they’re willing to go to bat for it.
That’s your project champion.
But here’s the thing: they’re not always the ones signing the contract. Their goal is to make it happen.
Why the champion matters more than you think
Your champion isn’t just another stakeholder. They’re the internal driver of the deal. They’re talking to IT, fielding questions from security, explaining the ROI to finance, and getting the executive team to stop saying “maybe” and start saying “yes.”
If it goes wrong? They’ll take a lot of the heat. Not you.
What happens when you skip the champion
When a deal stalls, it’s common for GTM teams to try going straight to the top: “Let’s just pitch the execs.”
That move feels bold, but it’s usually not smart.
When you bypass your champion, you’re signaling that their buy-in doesn’t matter. That’s a quick way to lose the one person inside the account who had any reason to fight for you.
And the execs? They’re not evaluating vendors. They’re responding to internal momentum. If your champion isn’t building that, you’re not getting the deal anyway.
Champions don’t speak in executive headlines
The C-suite cares about growth. Your champion cares about fixing the operational mess they’re stuck dealing with today.
Trying to sell a Security Director on revenue impact is a waste of everyone’s time. That’s not their world. They’re thinking about compliance, risk, and internal resources, not EBITDA.
If your story only works in the boardroom, it’s not going to survive the real buying process. You’re marketing past the buyer who actually moves the deal forward.
Why execs say no (and what you missed)
When executives shut a deal down, the assumption is often: “We didn’t talk ROI early enough.”
Wrong.
The real reason they didn’t believe the ROI is that your company doesn’t have internal credibility. You weren’t known. You weren’t trusted. And your champion couldn’t carry your story with confidence.
The answer isn’t to lead with ROI. It’s to help your champion become a trusted internal advocate who can tell a compelling story on your behalf.
You earn the right to the C-Suite
Access to the executive team isn’t granted because of clever outbound or a pretty deck. It’s earned through the strength of your champion.
When someone inside the org—someone with influence and proximity to the problem—says, “This is the solution we need,” that’s when leadership pays attention.
Strong champions don’t just get you into the room. They get you taken seriously once you’re there.
How to help your champion win
You’ve been through this before. Your champion hasn’t. It’s your job to give them the playbook.
1. Pre-empt the Objections
You know which departments will push back:
- Security wants to know if you’re compliant
- Finance wants short payback
- IT wants easy integration
Get ahead of it. Provide ROI calculators, implementation plans, case studies, technical docs. Anything that helps your champion answer tough questions before they’re asked.
2. Give them a killer internal pitch
Your champion has to sell your product without you in the room. Don’t make them build that pitch from scratch.
Give them:
- A short deck that explains why you’re different (and why it matters)
- Proof points: logos, case studies, before/after metrics
- A crisp one-pager that’s easy to circulate
- Clear, direct responses to common objections
If you want your champion to win the internal conversation, give them more than talking points. Give them positioning clarity.
“Better” isn’t enough. Champions need to explain why your product is better for this specific company, in this situation, versus their other options.
That’s the heart of great positioning, and it’s what helps a champion avoid death-by-committee.
3. Coach them through internal politics
Objections aren’t always rational. Sometimes IT doesn’t want more overhead. Sometimes Ops wants to protect their turf. Sometimes someone just doesn’t want to admit they picked the wrong system last time.
Use your experience to guide your champion.
- “Here’s how other champions handled pushback from IT.”
- “This is the point in the deal where procurement usually gets involved.”
- “Watch for this blocker, they always show up late in the process.”
Help them avoid the landmines. You’ve seen this movie before, they haven’t.
Bottom Line
Your champion might not be the decision-maker, but they absolutely shape the decision.
They’re the one living the pain, tasked with finding a solution, and close enough to the problem to know if what you’re offering actually works. They’re also the one who builds the internal case, lines up allies, and manages the politics.
Positioning is how you win in-market. Champions are how you win in-account.
Treat them like the strategic asset they are. Speak their language. Make them look smart. Equip them to sell internally with clarity and confidence.
If you're not supporting your champion, you're not serious about closing the deal.
Give them tools. Anticipate objections. Coach them through the organization.
Champions are the difference between “interesting idea” and “signed contract.” Support them like your pipeline depends on it, because it does.
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