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The Flawed “Decision-Maker vs. Influencer” Framework
Most B2B marketers love to talk about decision-makers and influencers. It’s the classic segmentation. The people who sign the contract, and the people who influence them. Simple, right? Not really.
Because here’s the truth: not all influencers are helpful. Some (like procurement or finance) are deal-killers. Others have opinions but zero stake in the outcome. And when you lump everyone into the same “influencer” bucket, you miss the one group that actually shapes the buying process: the champions.
Champions aren’t just influencers. They’re the people inside the business who feel the pain, want a solution, and will either push the deal forward or let it die. If you win them, they’ll fight for you. If you lose them, the deal is already dead, even if it moves forward on paper.
What Makes a Champion (And Why They Matter More)
A champion isn’t necessarily the person who signs the contract, but they are the person who drives the deal from the inside. They’re the ones who:
- Feel the pain your solution solves.
- Understand the internal obstacles and how to overcome them.
- Advocate for your solution in internal conversations you’ll never be part of.
- Shape the evaluation criteria or influence what gets prioritized.
If they’re not sold, the deal is stuck. Or worse, it closes and fails in implementation. Because even if a decision-maker signs off, a disengaged champion leads to poor adoption, zero momentum, and eventual churn.
Why Most Marketing Misses the Mark
Most marketing is aimed at decision-makers. It’s all about high-level ROI, big business cases, and efficiency gains. That’s fine, but you’re often speaking to the wrong audience first.
Champions care about their day-to-day. They care about the friction they face. The roadblocks that slow them down. The outcomes they’re on the hook for. If you’re not addressing those things, you’re not helping them make the internal case.
And if you lose them? It doesn’t matter how strong your pitch is. The decision-maker might still move forward, but if the champion isn’t bought in, they won’t use it, they won’t advocate for it, and they won’t drive the impact that leads to long-term success. That’s how churn happens.
How to Identify Champions
Champions don’t wear badges that say, “I’m the internal advocate.” But there are signals you can watch for:
- Who feels the most pain? The person who clearly articulates the problem is often the one who wants a solution the most.
- Who’s asking sharp, tactical questions? Champions want to know how the solution really works, not just the high-level pitch.
- Who stands to benefit the most? Look for the people who have the most to gain in their daily role if the problem is solved.
- Who is pushing back on internal objections? That’s a champion who’s invested in seeing the solution succeed.
When interviews and conversations with champions aren’t possible, marketers should dig into their data to identify potential champions.
Look for stakeholders who consistently engage with content that reflects specific pain points, such as webinars, guides, or case studies. Track who is downloading assets, interacting with emails, or engaging with ads related to key challenges. Using engagement tracking tools can help highlight which individuals are actively seeking solutions and are likely to be internal advocates.
These are the insights that can guide marketing efforts to better equip potential champions in their internal conversations.
How to Build Ads and Content for Champions
If you want to win more deals, you need to equip champions to sell internally. That means your ads, content, and messaging should be tailored to help them do just that.
- Address their day-to-day frustrations. Don’t just speak to broad business outcomes. Hit on the pains they live with daily.
- Clearly articulate product features. Champions need to understand and communicate exactly how the product works and what it delivers. Focus on product education that highlights core features and their direct impact on the champion’s daily challenges.
- Give them internal proof points. They need ammo to make the case internally. Provide industry stats, use cases, and evidence that backs up your claims. Oh, and transparent pricing never hurts either since there is that whole budget thing they need to work within.
- Speak to their internal wins. What makes them look good? What gets them promoted? Frame the impact in a way that aligns with their goals.
- Help them overcome common objections. They’re going to face pushback. Create content that arms them with responses.
- Make it easy for them to explain the value. Simplify the message so they can clearly communicate it in internal conversations.
The Real Risk of Ignoring Champions
If you’re only focused on decision-makers, you’re ignoring the people who can make or break a deal.
Champions shape how solutions are evaluated. They influence budget conversations. They control the internal narrative about whether a solution is needed and why. And if they don’t believe in the solution, they won’t fight for it.
Need some metrics to reinforce this? Usergems research shows that having a champion within the buying group can boost your chances of closing a deal by 114%. Plus, engaging champions can lead to 12% shorter sales cycles, helping teams close deals faster and more efficiently.
And just remember, if champions don’t buy in post-sale, adoption stalls. Usage declines. Impact falls short. And churn becomes inevitable. Bummer, dude.
Final Thoughts
Champions aren’t influencers. They’re the heartbeat of the deal. They’re the ones who will either push your solution forward or let it quietly die.
If you’re not building campaigns and content for them, you’re missing the people who matter most. It’s not just about landing the deal. It’s about ensuring adoption, impact, and long-term success.
The best marketing doesn’t just sell to decision-makers. It equips champions to lead the internal charge. If you can win them, you’ll win more deals and keep them.
If your marketing only targets decision-makers, you’re leaving deals, and long-term success, on the table. It’s time to rethink your approach. Let’s build a strategy that empowers your champions to advocate, influence, and drive results. Get in touch today!