8/18/2023-Relationship Building

Sales is a fun and rewarding job, and much of it is because of the friendships you’ll make. Some of those friendships will be casual, some meaningful. But it’s your champions who matter the most.

"I just had a great lunch with John."

Your manager replies, "FANTASTIC…is he now a champion?" (Smart sales manager!)

In your world relationship building means only one thing: is the buyer a champion? …and, "How do I get the buyer to be a champion?"

Yeah, sure, you need to cover everyone on the buy side of your accounts. And you need to develop your influencers too. But champions are like the Queens on the chess board, they are the movers and shakers who will deliver for you.

Today in your meetings with prospects and clients, straighten the spine and ask the question the TOP 10% regularly asks: " What can you do for me inside the org?" And "How can you help me?"

You won’t find out if your buyer is a champion or not unless you ask for something above and beyond. It could be that you need information, an introduction, or to unstick a barrier.

Whatever it is, you won’t get it unless you ask. Asking those you believe can be a champion will define boundaries and uncover willingness. Or not. It’s good to know, right?

Ask favors, and then be prepared to deliver the moon in return!

It’s irrefutable that having a champion on an account can send you into the commission stratosphere. Two or three champions pushing on your rope across multiple accounts can propel you into the Hall of Fame in any given year.

Ahhh, if it were only that easy.

There is no formula for developing a champion because every one of your prospects and clients is a unique individual who wants different things and is driven by different motivations.

Having said that, four constants exist around champion development:

1. Play the incrementality game. Start by asking for small favors.
2. Payback in spades. Concert tix and meals are good rewards, but making the champion shine inside their org is ideal.
3. Determine relationship strength and limits: if you don’t ask, you never know if that buyer can grow into a champion.
4. What do you want? Have a specific plan about what you need from the champion… there are only a handful of things, and the list probably looks like this…
– help to get other company officers to put their pens in their hands and sign the contract
– information
– unlocking internal problems and obstacles
– introductions

Don’t ever stop champion development…you need all the heavy hitters on your side that you can get.

You know the saying: buy a dog if you need a friend.

Well, you do need friends….especially friends in high places!

But dogs don’t have thumbs, so they can’t sign on the bottom line. That makes dogs, well….your best friend! Especially when you come home from a long day of trying to develop champions.

The Monkees were a fun, cultish pop band in the 60s who loved dogs, as you’ll see in this short 3-minute video.