In high-stakes B2B sales, being “multi-threaded” and having a clearly defined champion is essential for advancing deals and closing with confidence. But what does that actually look like in practice? Below is a comprehensive, field-tested checklist for verifying whether you’ve truly established a sales champion and whether you’re effectively multi-threaded sales qualification across the deal.
✅ Characteristics of a True Sales Champion or Multi-Threaded Sales Opportunity:
- Willing to be in a texting relationship – Your champion should be comfortable with direct, informal communication channels that indicate trust and accessibility.
- Willing to introduce you to others in the org – A true champion actively facilitates connections with other stakeholders, demonstrating their internal influence and commitment to your solution.
- Willing to share top-end commercial terms – They provide transparency around budget ranges, pricing expectations, and financial parameters that guide the deal structure.
- Willing to provide detailed KPIs and success metrics – Your champion shares specific measurable outcomes the organization expects from your solution, showing deep engagement with the business case.
- Shares full view of all competitors (internal and external) – Complete transparency about the competitive landscape, including internal alternatives and status quo options, indicates trust and partnership mindset.
- Helps define the buying committee members – They can clearly articulate who is involved in the decision-making process, their roles, and their relative influence levels.
- Identifies skeptics within the committee – A strong champion acknowledges internal resistance and helps you understand the political landscape you’re navigating.
- Willing to share the specific concerns of those skeptics – Beyond identifying skeptics, they provide detailed insight into objections, fears, and hesitations that need to be addressed.
- Proactively addresses the skeptics’ concerns with your help – Your champion becomes an internal advocate, working with you to develop messaging and strategies that address resistance.
- Understands and explains the entire approval process – They can walk you through each step of how decisions get made, from initial consensus to final sign-off.
- Knows how long that approval process usually takes – Historical context about timing helps set realistic expectations and plan your sales strategy accordingly.
- Can identify who gives verbal approval – Understanding who has the authority to say “yes” in principle, even before formal processes begin.
- Can identify who gives financial approval – Clear visibility into who controls budget allocation and spending authority at the required investment level.
- Understands the full legal process involved – Knowledge of contract review, legal approval workflows, and procurement requirements that could impact timing.
- Understands the timeline for legal approval – Realistic expectations about how long legal and procurement processes typically take in their organization.
- Can identify who is involved in the legal process – Specific contacts and roles in legal, procurement, and contract management who will need to be engaged.
Implementation Guidelines
Using this list for multi-threaded sales as part of your sales training programs, especially in SaaS sales training or founder-led sales, gives your team the ability to more effectively qualify deals, forecast accurately, and reduce risk in late-stage pipeline.
This approach is fully aligned with the NEAT Selling™ framework, which emphasizes real buyer intent, emotional drivers, and tangible proof of internal support.
Key Benefits of This Approach
- Improved Deal Qualification: Distinguish between real opportunities and deals that will stall.
- Enhanced Forecasting Accuracy: Better predict which deals will close and when.
- Reduced Sales Cycle Risk: Identify potential roadblocks before they derail deals.
- Stronger Pipeline Management: Focus resources on deals with genuine momentum.
- More Effective Sales Coaching: Give managers concrete criteria for deal review.
Next Steps
For more on multi-threaded sales, champion development, and deal strategy, schedule a free consultation.
