Sales role
Champion (sales)
A champion is a person inside the buying organization who believes in your solution and actively advocates for it internally, especially when the rep is not in the room.
In short
- A champion is a person inside the buying organization who believes in your solution and actively advocates for it internally, especially when the rep is not in the room.
What a champion is
A champion is an internal advocate, someone within the prospect's company who wants your solution to win and is willing to sell it on your behalf to colleagues and decision-makers. In complex deals where the rep cannot attend every internal meeting, the champion carries the deal forward.
A real champion has three things: a genuine reason to want the change, influence or credibility inside the account, and a willingness to spend that capital advocating for you. Someone who is merely friendly but does none of the selling is a contact, not a champion.
Champion versus economic buyer
A champion is not the same as the economic buyer. The champion advocates internally; the economic buyer controls the budget and gives final approval. The strongest deals have a champion who can reach and influence the economic buyer.
Champions are central to qualification frameworks, the final C in MEDDIC. Reps test a champion by asking them to take action, like arranging a meeting with the economic buyer, since a true champion will, and a false one will stall.
Frequently asked
What is a champion in sales?
- A champion is a person inside the buying organization who believes in your solution and actively advocates for it internally, particularly when the rep is not present.
What is the difference between a champion and an economic buyer?
- A champion advocates for your solution internally, while the economic buyer controls the budget and gives final approval. A champion's value often lies in their ability to influence the economic buyer.
How do you test whether someone is a real champion?
- Ask them to take a concrete action on the deal, such as setting up a meeting with the economic buyer or sharing internal context. A genuine champion follows through, while a false one tends to stall.