A Champion without vested interest is just a contact. Understanding what they personally win when you win is what activates real internal selling.
Vested interest can be personal, business-driven, or both, and it looks different for everyone. A startup rep building their brand needs something different than a 30-year company loyalist.
No one sells internally for you without a reason to. Finding that reason is the work.
Use storytelling to surface it, sharing a similar Champion's story is one of the fastest ways to see if the motivation resonates.
A crucial champion trait that typically gets overlooked is vested interest. How does your prospective Champion win when you do?
Your Champion’s vested interest can be personal or business-related, or even both – their ambition to advance in their career could tie in with the company’s success. Typically, they want to make a big impact and use your solution to do just that.
At MEDDICC, we have seen this in action with 3-time champion George Campbell. In each organization he moves, he wants to help the team level up, but he needs MEDDPICC for that to work.
Salespeople need to understand the difference between a personal vested interest and a business vested interest. Our CEO, Andy Whyte, saw this when he was selling the same solution to two companies, with Champions who had two very different vested interests.
The first Champion worked for a startup. Their vested interest was their personal brand, getting their name out there. Andy was able to promote the podcasts and live events his organization did, where this Champion could boost their profile.
The second Champion worked for a notable department store and had done so for nearly 30 years. Their vested interest was all in the success of the business. Podcasts and live events wouldn’t have interested them.
As a salesperson, you need to find the personal win to secure someone as your Champion, being aware that it could look different for anyone. Remember: no one will effectively sell internally for you without a vested interest. Why would they?
You never know where a vested interest will take you. Our CRO, Pim Roelofsen, was such a strong MEDDICC Champion that he joined the team. Learning your (potential) Champion’s vested interest by uncovering what is driving them to work with you is the key to making an impact in an organization.
TIP: A good way to discover someone’s vested interest is by telling a story about a potentially similar Champion to see if it resonates with them.