Executive Summary
An internal sales champion helps your MSP move a larger opportunity forward when you are not in the room. They understand the problem, have credibility with the people making the decision and are willing to make the case for your solution internally.
Developing that relationship takes work. You need to check their influence, understand what solving the problem means to them, equip them to answer difficult questions and agree a clear plan for the buying process. In this article, I share two examples from my work with MSP and software businesses, alongside five practical steps you can apply to your own opportunities. I also explain a mistake that can undo all that effort: going over your champion’s head without involving them.
Why do larger MSP sales deals need a different approach
Winning a client with 8 users feels great. But when you get the opportunity to win a business with 80 users, your eyes light up.
You imagine the monthly revenue and what winning a deal of that size could mean for your MSP.
It feels different. And it is.
There may be more people involved, more concerns to address and several departments with a say in the decision. The person who likes your proposal might have to convince colleagues you have never met.
That is why you need someone inside the organisation who can help you understand what is happening and move things forward.
In my article on using a sales methodology to lose earlier, I discussed MEDDPICC. One of its Cs stands for Champion. It deserves your attention when you are working on a larger deal.
What is an internal sales champion
A champion is someone within the prospective customer’s organisation who wants your solution to succeed and has the influence to help make it happen.
They are often involved in leading the project. They understand how the business operates, know the people who matter and can bring different departments together.
They may not sign the contract themselves, but the people who do value their judgement.
MEDDICC’s guide to champions identifies three central qualities: influence within the organisation, a personal stake in the outcome and a willingness to advocate for your solution internally.
That final part matters. Someone can enjoy your meetings and give you useful information without being prepared to put their credibility behind your recommendation.
I am currently helping an MSP work towards a deal with a large organisation. We have met the managing director, but most of our day-to-day contact has been with the operations manager.
She initially approached the MSP because she had worked with them before. That existing relationship has been valuable. Even so, I encouraged my customer to work through the following five areas.
1 How can you tell whether your contact is a real champion
Start by checking whether they have influence, access and credibility with the decision-makers.
What evidence have you seen that people listen to them? Can they bring the right colleagues into a conversation? Will they tell you about a concern that could derail the deal?
Use this checklist when you review an opportunity.
What to check | Evidence to look for | A question to ask |
|---|---|---|
Influence | Their recommendation carries weight with senior colleagues. | “How have decisions like this been made before?” |
Access | They help involve the people who approve or shape the decision. | “Who else should we speak with, and can we arrange that together?” |
Personal stake | They can explain why solving the problem matters to them. | “What changes for you if we get this right?” |
Internal action | They present the case and bring back questions or objections. | “What feedback did you get when you discussed this internally?” |
Ownership | They agree actions and help keep the project moving. | “What needs to happen next, and who will own it?” |
A gap gives you something to investigate. It does not automatically mean you should walk away.
But be honest about what you know. A friendly contact and an enthusiastic meeting are not enough to justify assuming the deal will close.
If you have encountered reassuring answers followed by silence, my article on why MSP prospects say yes when they really mean no explores that problem further.
2 Why does the outcome matter personally to your champion
You need to understand what is at stake for the person backing you.
Will the change stop complaints landing on their desk? Help their department do its job? Give them confidence that a problem they have raised for months will finally be fixed?
Two years ago, I worked with a software company on a large deal involving a trial lasting two to three months.
Their champion was frustrated by a problem that was continually making his department look bad. He had not caused the problem, but he felt the criticism personally.
When senior leaders questioned whether the trial was working and wanted to stop it, he threatened to resign. He made it clear that he needed a solution and believed my customer could provide it.
That made the decision-makers take notice. It also showed them that someone internally was committed to leading the implementation and making it work. His determination helped get the deal over the line.
The lesson is to understand why the problem matters deeply enough for someone to act. You cannot manufacture that commitment by sending another brochure.
Ask: “What happens to you and your team if this stays the same for another six months?” Then listen carefully to the answer.
3 What should you give a champion to help them sell internally
Your champion may have to explain your proposal to the finance director, answer questions from the IT team and reassure colleagues about disruption.
Give them something useful for those conversations.
- A short business case explaining the problem, its impact and the proposed improvement.
- A relevant customer example showing how you have helped a similar organisation.
- A clear explanation of the investment and what is included.
- An implementation outline covering responsibilities, timing and likely disruption.
- Answers to the objections you expect from other stakeholders.
For example, imagine an operations manager considering a change of MSP. They may understand the technical benefits but expect the finance director to ask why the business should pay more.
Work through that question together. Use the prospect’s own evidence about the cost or consequences of current problems. Make assumptions clear, and avoid presenting hoped-for savings as guaranteed returns.
Spend time helping your champion explain the recommendation in their own words. Ask them which questions they feel least confident answering, then fill those gaps.
You are asking them to represent your business when you are absent. Give them the support to do it well.
4 How do you map the buying process with your champion
Larger organisations can have complicated internal relationships. Someone may support the project but hesitate because another department has been left out.
Your champion can help you understand that picture.
Work through who approves the investment, who evaluates the solution and who will be responsible for implementing it. Identify anyone whose concerns could delay the decision.
For an MSP opportunity, that could include finance, an internal IT manager, operational teams and procurement. Their concerns may be different. Finance might question the investment; the IT manager might want clarity about responsibilities; operations might worry about disruption.
Ask your champion: “Who could raise an objection that we have not heard yet?”
Then agree how to involve that person and understand their concerns. Discovering an objection before the final decision gives you time to address it properly.
Also establish what happens after someone says yes. Contract review, procurement and the existing provider’s notice period may still affect the timetable.
5 How do you build a clear plan with your champion
Agree the actions, owners and dates needed to move the opportunity forward.
“We will catch up soon” leaves too much open. A useful next step names what someone will do and when it will happen.
For example, your champion could arrange a meeting with the finance director by an agreed date. You could send the business case beforehand. Your technical lead could then meet the internal IT manager to resolve migration questions.
Work backwards from the customer’s intended start date and check whether the plan is realistic. Build in the time needed for approvals and any handover from the current provider.
Keep asking two questions:
“What could stop this deal from happening?”
“Why does this need to happen in the next few weeks or months?”
If the answers change, revisit the plan. If an action slips, find out why. A change in priorities needs a different response from a diary problem.
Large deals can take time. You need to understand what is happening during that time and who is taking responsibility for progress.
What mistake can damage your relationship with a champion
Going over their head without involving them.
I have seen salespeople do this because they want to speed up a decision. They contact the managing director directly and leave their champion out of the conversation.
Think about how that feels to the person who has been introducing you, answering your questions and supporting your proposal internally.
They may feel undermined or betrayed. You risk losing the support you have spent weeks building.
You still need access to the people who make the decision. Plan that access with your champion and keep them involved.
You could ask: “Would it help if we met with you and the MD to work through the remaining questions together?”
If they repeatedly prevent necessary conversations, explore why and reassess their ability to help. Deal with that concern openly before committing more time to the opportunity.
Frequently asked questions about sales champions
Does a sales champion have to be the decision maker
No. They need credibility and influence with the people making the decision. An operations manager or project lead may be well placed to champion a solution even when someone else approves the spending.
Can you have more than one champion in a deal
Yes. In larger organisations, different people may support your solution for different reasons. Understand their relationships and priorities, and keep your communication consistent.
What if your contact likes you but takes no action
Agree a specific next step and see what happens. They may need support, lack influence or have other priorities. Investigate before treating their enthusiasm as evidence that the deal is progressing.
Does having a champion guarantee that you will win
No. Budget, competing priorities, the suitability of your solution and the approval process still matter. Keep reviewing the whole opportunity as well as the strength of your champion.
How can you strengthen the larger deals in your pipeline
Choose one opportunity and ask yourself: “Who inside this organisation is actively helping us move it forward?”
Then look at the evidence. Do you understand their influence? What matters to them? What support they need? Have you agreed who will do what next?
Building that relationship takes effort, but so does spending months chasing a deal that never arrives.
Have you got a larger opportunity where another pair of eyes would help? Get in touch with me and tell me where things stand. Through James White Sales Success, I help MSP owners and sales teams qualify opportunities, develop their sales approach and build more consistent results.
