In the world of software sales, it’s easy to assume that the person you’re working with on the buyer’s side—your “champion”—has everything under control. After all, they’re enthusiastic about your product, they see its potential, and they’re the one who reached out to you. But here’s an important question: Is your champion actually driving the purchase decision, or are they merely passing along information?
The reality is, most people aren’t taught how to buy software. They have their day jobs, filled with responsibilities, and navigating a complex purchasing process isn’t something they do regularly. This means that even the most motivated champion might not be equipped to drive the purchase forward on their own. As a seller, your role isn’t just to sell a product; it’s to guide your champion through the buying process. And to do that effectively, you need to focus on three key areas:
Create Awareness of What’s Involved
Buying software isn’t just about selecting the right tool; it’s about understanding the entire journey. Your champion may not be aware of all the steps involved—from syncing calendars with decision-makers to evaluating risks. By educating them upfront, you help set realistic expectations and avoid surprises later on.
Do as Much of the Heavy Lifting as You Can
Remember, your champion has a day job. They’re juggling tasks like content consumption, competitive analysis, document distribution, and endless email exchanges. The more you can take off their plate, the better. This could mean preparing comparison charts, summarising key points from meetings, or even drafting emails that they can send to stakeholders.
Help Them Make Sense of All the Information
The buying process can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of data to process, from ROI calculations to procurement procedures. Your champion might feel lost in this sea of information. That’s where you come in—to organise, distil, and present information in a way that makes decision-making easier.
Why is this important? Because your champion is facing:
- Calendars to sync – Getting everyone in the same room is harder than it seems.
- Content to consume – Endless documents, case studies, and whitepapers.
- Competitors to compare – You’re not the only one vying for their attention.
- Documents to distribute – And they have to ensure everyone reads them.
- Email ping pong to manage – The back-and-forth never seems to end.
- Links to request, find, and share – Information is scattered everywhere.
- Risk to evaluate – They can’t afford to make a wrong choice.
- ROI to calculate – They need to justify the investment.
- Procurement to navigate – Often a labyrinth of red tape.
- Stakeholders to guide – And everyone has an opinion.
Being a buyer is actually quite challenging.
The reality is, you probably know more about the journey ahead than they do. That’s why it’s crucial to make the buying process as easy as possible for your champion. How? By focusing on the four Ms:
- Microsites/Digital Sales Rooms: Create a centralised hub for all resources, documents, and communication. This makes it easier for your champion to access and share the necessary information with their team.
- Micro-Demos: Short, focused demonstrations that address specific concerns or use cases. These are less overwhelming and easier to share with stakeholders who may not have time for a full demo.
- Multi-Threading: Engage with multiple stakeholders within the organisation. Don’t rely on a single point of contact; ensure that you’re building relationships across the board.
- Mutual Action Plans: Develop a shared roadmap that outlines each step of the buying process. This not only keeps everyone on the same page but also ensures that both sides are working towards the same goals.
In the end, helping your champion isn’t just about closing a sale; it’s about empowering them to succeed in their role. When you make it easier for them to buy, you’re not just selling a product—you’re building a partnership that can lead to long-term success.
