Intro to Sales Engineering and Solutions Consulting: Identifying Decision Makers and Champions

Identifying Decision Makers and Champions

Identifying Decision Makers and Champions: The SE’s Guide to Winning Deals

What This Is

Identifying decision makers (DMs) and champions is the difference between a stalled deal and a signed contract. A decision maker (e.g., CISO, CFO) has budget and authority to say "yes," while a champion (e.g., a lead engineer or security architect) advocates for you internally. Without both, you’re selling to the wrong people—like pitching a SOC 2 compliance tool to a junior analyst who can’t approve the budget. Real-world scenario: A cybersecurity SE is in a competitive POC for a $2M SIEM replacement. The champion (Director of Security) loves the product, but the CISO (DM) hasn’t been engaged. The SE loses the deal because the CISO’s top priority—reducing false positives—wasn’t addressed in the demo. Lesson: Map the org early, or lose the deal late.

Key Terms & Frameworks

• MEDDIC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion)

• Qualification framework to systematically uncover who influences the deal, what they care about, and how decisions are made. Used in every discovery call to avoid "happy ears" (thinking a deal is further along than it is).

• Economic Buyer (EB)

• The person who controls the budget and can say "yes" to the purchase. Often a C-level or VP (e.g., CFO for cost-saving tools, CISO for security). When to use: Early in the deal to confirm budget and authority.

• Champion

• A trusted internal advocate who wants you to win and will sell for you when you’re not in the room. Typically a power user or mid-level manager (e.g., a DevOps lead for a CI/CD tool). When to use: After discovery, to validate pain points and test messaging.

• Decision Process

• The formal (or informal) steps a company takes to approve a purchase (e.g., "We need a 30-day POC, then a security review, then a CISO sign-off"). When to use: During discovery to align your sales motion with their buying process.

• Decision Criteria

• The must-have requirements a solution must meet to win (e.g., "Must integrate with Okta" or "Must reduce false positives by 50%"). When to use: In POCs and demos to prove your solution meets their criteria.

• Power Map

• A visual org chart showing who influences the deal (e.g., IT, Security, Finance) and their level of support (❤️/?). When to use: After initial discovery to identify gaps (e.g., "We haven’t talked to the CFO yet").

• Gatekeeper

• Someone who blocks access to DMs (e.g., an executive assistant or procurement manager). When to use: Early in the deal to navigate around them (e.g., "Can you introduce me to the person who owns the budget?").

• Technical Buyer (TB)

• The person who evaluates how the solution works (e.g., a lead engineer or architect). They can’t say "yes," but they can say "no." When to use: During POCs and technical deep dives.

• Business Buyer (BB)

• The person who cares about outcomes (e.g., "Will this reduce downtime?" or "Will this save us money?"). Often a line-of-business leader (e.g., VP of Sales for a CRM tool). When to use: In discovery to tie features to business impact.

• POC (Proof of Concept)

• A time-bound technical evaluation to prove your solution works in their environment. When to use: After discovery, when the prospect needs to validate claims before committing.

• Mutual Action Plan (MAP)

• A shared document outlining who does what by when (e.g., "We’ll deliver the POC by 5/15; you’ll provide test data by 5/10"). When to use: After discovery to align on next steps and avoid "ghosting."

• Stakeholder Matrix

• A table listing all influencers, their role (DM, Champion, TB, etc.), their pain points, and their level of support. When to use: During deal reviews to spot risks (e.g., "We have a champion but no access to the CFO").

Step-by-Step / Process Flow

1. Run a "Stakeholder Discovery" Call (Before the Demo)

Goal: Identify who’s involved in the decision and what they care about.
Sample Questions:
- "Who else will be involved in evaluating this solution?" (Uncover influencers) - "What’s the biggest challenge this team is facing right now?" (Identify pain) - "How do decisions like this usually get made here?" (Map the decision process) - "Who owns the budget for this?" (Find the Economic Buyer) - "If we prove this works, what’s the next step?" (Align on process)

Pro Tip: If they say, "It’s just me," push back: "Got it—so if we move forward, who would need to sign off?"

2. Build the Power Map (After Discovery)

Goal: Visually map who’s who and their level of influence/support.
How to do it:
- Draw an org chart (use tools like Lucidchart or a whiteboard).
- Label each person with: - Role (DM, Champion, TB, Gatekeeper) - Pain Points (e.g., "Reducing false positives") - Level of Support (❤️ = Champion, ? = Neutral, ? = Blocker) -
Example:
CISO (DM) ? – "Needs SOC 2 compliance" Director of Security (Champion) ❤️ – "Wants to reduce alert fatigue" Security Engineer (TB) ? – "Needs to test integrations" Procurement (Gatekeeper) ? – "Blocks access to CISO"

3. Test for Champion Potential

Goal: Confirm if your "champion" is real (not just a friendly contact).
Sample Questions:
- "If we prove this works, would you be willing to present our solution to the CISO?" (Tests commitment) - "What’s the biggest risk to this project succeeding?" (Uncovers objections) - "Who else do we need to get on board to make this happen?" (Identifies gaps)

Red Flags:
- "I’ll have to check with my boss." (Not a real champion) - "I’m not sure who owns the budget." (No access to DMs)

4. Engage the Economic Buyer (EB) Early

Goal: Get the budget holder involved before the POC.
How to do it:
- Leverage your champion: "Our CISO would love to hear how you’re thinking about reducing false positives—can we set up a 15-minute call?" - Use a business case: "We’ve helped similar companies reduce costs by 30%. Would it make sense to share those metrics with your CFO?" - Gatekeeper workarounds:
- "I’d love to get your CISO’s perspective on [pain point]. Can you help me schedule 15 minutes?" - "Who else should we loop in to make sure this aligns with your priorities?"

Pro Tip: If you can’t get direct access, arm your champion with talking points for the EB.

5. Align the Demo/Presentation to Each Stakeholder

Goal: Tailor your messaging to what each person cares about.
Example:
| Stakeholder | What They Care About | Demo Focus | |-----------------|--------------------------|----------------| | CISO (DM) | Compliance, risk reduction | "How we meet SOC 2 requirements" | | Director of Security (Champion) | Reducing alert fatigue | "How our AI reduces false positives by 50%" | | Security Engineer (TB) | Integrations, ease of use | "How we integrate with Splunk in 10 minutes" |

Sample Script:
"For the CISO, we’ll focus on compliance and risk reduction. For the security team, we’ll dive into how our AI reduces false positives. And for the engineers, we’ll show the integration process. Does that align with what each of you needs to see?"

6. Validate the Decision Process (Before POC)

Goal: Confirm how the deal will get approved to avoid surprises.
Sample Questions:
- "What’s the process for getting this approved?" (Uncover steps) - "Who needs to sign off before we can move forward?" (Identify DMs) - "What’s the biggest risk to this deal closing?" (Uncover objections) - "If we prove this works, what’s the next step?" (Align on timeline)

Pro Tip: If they say, "We’ll figure that out later," push back: "To make sure we’re aligned, let’s outline the next steps now."

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Assuming Your Contact is the Decision Maker

• What happens: You demo to a mid-level engineer who loves the product, but the CFO (who controls the budget) hasn’t been engaged.
• Correction: Always ask, "Who else needs to be involved in this decision?" and map the org early.
• Why: DMs can’t say "yes" if they’re not in the room.

Mistake 2: Not Testing for Champion Commitment

• What happens: Your "champion" is friendly but won’t advocate for you internally.
• Correction: Ask commitment-based questions (e.g., "Would you be willing to present our solution to the CISO?").
• Why: A real champion wants you to win and will sell for you.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the Gatekeeper

• What happens: You get blocked by procurement or an executive assistant.
• Correction: Respect the gatekeeper and ask for their help (e.g., "Can you help me get 15 minutes with the CISO?").
• Why: Gatekeepers can accelerate or kill your access to DMs.

Mistake 4: Skipping the Economic Buyer Until Late in the Deal

• What happens: You spend months on a POC, only to find out the CFO won’t approve the budget.
• Correction: Engage the EB early (even if just for 15 minutes) to confirm budget and priorities.
• Why: The EB controls the money—if they’re not on board, the deal won’t close.

Mistake 5: Not Aligning the Demo to Each Stakeholder’s Pain

• What happens: You give a one-size-fits-all demo, and the CISO tunes out because you’re talking about integrations (which they don’t care about).
• Correction: Tailor your messaging to each person’s priorities (e.g., compliance for the CISO, ease of use for engineers).
• Why: People buy based on what’s in it for them.

SE Interview / Practical Insights

1. "The prospect says, ‘Your competitor does X for half the price.’ How do you respond?"

What they’re testing: Can you handle objections and reframe the conversation around value? Sample Response:
"I appreciate you bringing that up—cost is always a factor. Can I ask, what’s the biggest challenge you’re trying to solve with this solution? [Listen] Got it. Our customers typically see [specific ROI, e.g., ‘a 30% reduction in downtime’] because of [unique feature]. Would it make sense to compare the total cost of ownership, not just the sticker price?"

Why it works:
- Acknowledges the objection (builds trust).
- Shifts to value (not price).
- Opens the door for a deeper conversation.

2. "The champion says, ‘I’ll handle everything—you don’t need to talk to anyone else.’ What do you do?"

What they’re testing: Can you spot a fake champion and navigate org politics? Sample Response:
"I appreciate that—it’s great to have an internal advocate. To make sure we’re aligned, who else would need to sign off on this? [If they resist] I ask because in similar deals, we’ve seen delays when key stakeholders aren’t looped in early. Would it make sense to set up a quick intro with [DM]?"

Why it works:
- Respects the champion (avoids alienating them).
- Uncovers hidden risks (e.g., a CFO who wasn’t involved).
- Positions you as a trusted advisor (not just a salesperson).

3. "During a demo, the CISO asks a question you don’t know the answer to. What do you do?"

What they’re testing: Can you handle technical gaps without losing credibility? Sample Response:
"That’s a great question—I want to make sure I give you the most accurate answer. Let me check with our engineering team and follow up with you by [specific time]. In the meantime, here’s what I can tell you based on what I know…"

Why it works:
- Buys time (avoids guessing).
- Shows humility (builds trust).
- Keeps the conversation moving (avoids awkward silence).

Quick Check Questions

1. A prospect says, "We’re happy with our current solution." How do you respond?

Answer:
"I totally get that—if something’s working, why change it? Can I ask, what’s the one thing you wish your current solution did better? [Listen] Got it. A lot of our customers felt the same way until they saw [specific improvement]. Would it make sense to show you how we handle that in a quick demo?"

Why it works:
- Acknowledges their position (avoids being pushy).
- Uncovers pain points (even if they’re "happy").
- Opens the door for a demo (without being salesy).

2. The champion says, "I love the product, but my boss won’t approve the budget." What do you do?

Answer:
"I appreciate you being upfront about that. To make sure we’re aligned, what’s the biggest concern your boss has about this? [Listen] Got it. A lot of our customers have faced similar concerns—here’s how we’ve addressed it in the past [share a case study or ROI data]. Would it make sense to set up a quick call with your boss to walk through this?"

Why it works:
- Digs into the real objection (not just "no budget").
- Provides social proof (builds credibility).
- Creates a path forward (engages the DM).

3. During a POC, the technical buyer says, "This doesn’t integrate with our legacy system." How do you respond?

Answer:
"That’s a fair point—I want to make sure we’re solving for your environment. Can you tell me more about your legacy system? [Listen] Got it. We’ve seen this before, and here’s how we’ve handled it [share a workaround or roadmap item]. Would it make sense to set up a call with our solutions architect to explore options?"

Why it works:
- Validates their concern (avoids dismissing it).
- Shows expertise (positions you as a problem-solver).
- Escalates to the right person (avoids getting stuck in technical weeds).

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

1. MEDDIC = Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion.
2. Economic Buyer (EB) = Controls the budget; always engage early.
3. Champion = Internal advocate; test their commitment with tough questions.
4. Power Map = Visual org chart of influencers; update it after every call.
5. Gatekeepers = Block access to DMs; respect them and ask for help.
6. Tailor demos to each stakeholder’s pain (e.g., compliance for CISO, ease of use for engineers).
7. Always ask: "Who else needs to be involved in this decision?"
8. ⚠️ Never assume your contact is the DM—always confirm authority.
9. ⚠️ Never skip the EB—if they’re not engaged, the deal won’t close.
10. ⚠️ Never demo without a backup—technical glitches kill trust.

Closing Tip: "The deal isn’t real until the Economic Buyer says it is."