Champion Identifier

Champion Identifier

Find the internal champion most likely to advocate for the solution at a target account, using structured LinkedIn and account analysis.

Contents

• references/scoring-framework.md - champion profile, six scoring dimensions, total-score bands, warning signs
• references/output-template.md - the full Markdown report structure to produce
• references/outreach-templates.md - warm-intro, forwardable, direct, and opening-line messages
• references/meeting-prep.md - discovery and qualification questions, red flags
• references/multi-threading.md - sequence, coverage map, DMU table, org-chart format
• references/champion-development-plan.md - five-phase plan with success metrics
• references/playbook.md - tips, best practices, trigger phrases, worked example

Workflow

1. Gather inputs: the company, the solution being sold, and any known contacts or mutual connections. Ask for whatever is missing. 2. Research the company and the department the solution touches: stage, recent news, likely pain points, decision-making style, and hiring signals. 3. Identify 5-10 candidate individuals on LinkedIn within the relevant department and leadership chain. 4. Score each candidate across the six dimensions (0-10 each, 0-60 total) per references/scoring-framework.md, citing concrete evidence for every score. 5. Rank candidates best to worst, and flag anyone who is a blocker or coach rather than a champion using the warning signs. 6. For the top candidates, choose an outreach path (warm intro vs. direct) and draft the message from references/outreach-templates.md, plus personalization hooks and meeting prep from references/meeting-prep.md. 7. Build the multi-threading plan and account map (DMU table, org chart) per references/multi-threading.md. 8. Assemble the full report following references/output-template.md, filling every field with researched specifics and no placeholders. 9. Recommend next steps using the phased plan in references/champion-development-plan.md.

Champion Development Plan

Phase 1: Initial Contact (Week 1)

Goal: get the first meeting and establish rapport.

• Secure a warm intro from the mutual connection
• Send personalized outreach
• Schedule a discovery call
• Research their LinkedIn thoroughly

Success metric: meeting scheduled.

Phase 2: Discovery and Qualification (Week 1-2)

Goal: confirm they feel the pain and can champion.

• Run the discovery call (see references/meeting-prep.md)
• Validate they have the pain
• Assess their influence and willingness
• Get them to open up about process and players

Success metric: they articulate the pain clearly and agree to a next step.

Phase 3: Value Demonstration (Week 2-3)

Goal: show how the solution addresses their specific problem.

• Deliver a tailored demo focused on their pain points
• Share a relevant case study
• Calculate ROI specific to their situation
• Capture their reaction and feedback

Success metric: they say "this would really help us."

Phase 4: Champion Activation (Week 3-4)

Goal: get them to actively advocate internally.

• Ask: "Based on what you've seen, would this help you?"
• Ask: "Who else should see this?"
• Ask: "Would you be comfortable introducing me to [decision maker]?"
• Provide ammunition to sell internally (ROI calc, one-pager)

Success metric: they introduce the economic buyer or invite others to the next meeting.

Phase 5: Deal Progression (Ongoing)

Goal: keep them engaged throughout the deal.

• Hold weekly check-ins
• Ask for coaching on the internal process
• Get their input on the proposal
• Have them review and socialize internally
• Have them coach you on objections and competitors

Success metric: the deal moves forward with their help.

Meeting Preparation

Discovery Questions

1. "Walk me through how [process] works today at [Company]." 2. "What's working well? What's frustrating about it?" 3. "If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing, what would it be?" 4. "Who else is impacted by [problem]?" 5. "What have you tried to solve this? Why didn't it work?" 6. "If this doesn't get fixed, what happens?"

Champion Qualification Questions

1. "Is this problem on your roadmap to solve?" 2. "When you've bought tools like this before, how did the process work?" 3. "Who typically gets involved in these decisions?" 4. "What would success look like for you personally?" 5. "Would you be comfortable introducing me to [economic buyer]?"

Red Flags (Not Actually a Champion)

• Cannot articulate the pain clearly
• Does not know who the decision maker is
• Not willing to introduce you to others
• Lacks budget visibility
• Seems to be just being polite

Full Warning-Sign Checklist

• Too agreeable: says yes to everything but never acts
• Cannot get you to others: promised introductions never materialize
• Does not know the process: cannot describe how decisions get made or who holds budget
• Not actually affected: speaks about the problem abstractly, no personal examples
• No skin in the game: no personal KPIs tied to the problem; researching for someone else

When these appear: keep the contact in the loop (may be useful later), find the real champion who feels the pain, and do not invest in coaches posing as champions.

Multi-Threading and Account Mapping

Recommended Sequence

1. Start With: Champion #1 (highest probability) 2. Parallel Outreach: Champion #2 (different department, covers more ground) 3. Economic Buyer Access: ask Champion #1 to introduce the decision maker 4. Technical Validator: connect with the relevant technical evaluator 5. User Buy-In: gather feedback from an end-user representative

Coverage Map

Economic Buyer (Decision): [Name, Title]
        ^
Champion (Advocate): [Champion #1]
        ^
Technical (Validate): [Technical Person]
        ^
Users (Adopt): [User Team]

Why Multi-Thread

• Single-threaded deals die if the contact leaves or loses interest
• Different perspectives reveal the full picture
• Multiple internal conversations build momentum
• Reduces the risk of being ghosted

Decision-Making Unit (DMU) Table

Org Chart Format (as understood)

CEO: [Name]
  v
CTO: [Name] <- Economic Buyer
  v
VP Engineering: [Champion #1] <- START HERE
  v
Engineering Managers (5)
  v
Engineers (30) <- End Users

Output Template

Produce the analysis in this Markdown structure. Fill every bracket with researched, specific content; never leave placeholders in the delivered report.

# Champion Identification: [Company Name]

**Company**: [Company Name]
**Industry**: [Industry]
**Size**: [Employees]
**Your Solution**: [What you sell]
**Analysis Date**: [Date]

---

## Target Account Overview

**Company Context**:
- Stage: [Startup/Growth/Enterprise]
- Recent News: [Funding/Growth/Changes]
- Likely Pain Points: [Based on stage and industry]
- Decision-Making Style: [Committee/Top-down/Consensus]
- Budget Cycle: [When they buy]

**Your Connection**:
- Existing Contacts: [X] contacts at this company
- Mutual Connections: [X] 2nd degree connections
- Inbound Interest: [Yes/No - have they engaged?]
- Competitive Intel: [Do they use a competitor?]

---

## Champion Candidates (Ranked)

### #1 Ideal Champion: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: [XX]/60 - Strong Candidate

**Profile**:
- Name: [First Last]
- Title: [Current Job Title]
- Department: [Department]
- Tenure: [X] years at company
- LinkedIn: [Profile URL]
- Email Pattern: [Likely email]
- Location: [City, State]

#### Scoring Breakdown

For each of the six dimensions, give the score and 2-4 evidence bullets:

**Role Relevance**: [X]/10
- Their role directly manages [area the solution impacts]
- Day-to-day responsibilities include [tasks the solution improves]
- Success metrics tied to [metrics the solution improves]
- Evidence: [Job description / public signal]

**Influence Level**: [X]/10
- Title suggests budget authority for tools like this
- Reports to [CXO] - short path to economic buyer
- Manages team of [X] who would use the solution
- Evidence: [Prior purchases / public signal]

**Accessibility**: [X]/10
- [X] mutual connections (2nd degree)
- Activity level on LinkedIn
- Engagement with content about [your topic]
- Warm Intro Path: You -> [Mutual Connection] -> [Candidate]

**Change Agent**: [X]/10
- Tenure and onboarding phase
- Prior adoption of similar solutions
- Public interest in innovation/new approaches
- Evidence: [Posts / role history]

**Personal Stake**: [X]/10
- KPIs that improve with the solution
- Team efficiency/productivity goals
- How the pain affects their daily work
- Evidence: [Job posting / public signal]

**Engagement Potential**: [X]/10
- Responsiveness signals
- Community activity related to their role
- Public-facing comfort (talks, webinars)
- Evidence: [Reply behavior / public signal]

#### Why They Are an Ideal Champion

- Pain They Feel: [3 specific, role-grounded pain points]
- What They Gain: career impact, team impact, personal impact, measurable tie to OKRs/KPIs
- How They Can Help: process insight, intro to economic buyer, internal advocacy, navigating politics, competitive coaching

#### Outreach Strategy

State the best approach (warm intro vs. direct) and include the chosen message. See references/outreach-templates.md for the message templates.

#### Personalization Hooks

- Recent Activity: [posts, comments, job change]
- Shared Interests: [school, conference, group]
- Career Path: [progression, prior companies, pattern]
- Best Opening Line: one tailored sentence grounded in a real observation

#### Meeting Preparation

Include discovery and qualification questions and red flags. See references/meeting-prep.md.

---

### #2 Strong Potential: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: [XX]/60

- Profile: name, title, department, tenure
- Per-dimension scores (one line each)
- Why They Are Strong: 3 bullets
- Concern: one reason they rank below #1
- Outreach Approach: adapted from #1

### #3 Good Backup: [Name]

Same structure, slightly shorter.

### #4 Possible Champion: [Name]

Same structure, shortest.

---

## Who NOT to Lead With

For each: Name - Title, 2-3 reasons (too senior, wrong department, blocker risk), and when they might be useful later.

---

## Multi-Threading Strategy

See references/multi-threading.md for the recommended sequence, coverage map, and rationale.

---

## Account Mapping

See references/multi-threading.md for the DMU table and org-chart format.

---

## LinkedIn Intelligence

**Company Employee Analysis**:
- Total Employees on LinkedIn: [X]
- Employees in Target Department: [X]
- Key Observations: recent joiners (growth), recent promotions (change), active posters (engagement), connected to your network (access)
- Department Breakdown: Engineering / Product / Sales / Marketing counts

**Hiring Signals**:
- Recent Job Postings ([X] open roles): each role and what it signals about priorities
- Why It Matters: hiring implies growth, budget, and openness to new tools; job descriptions reveal pain points

---

## Champion Development Plan

See references/champion-development-plan.md for the phased plan.

Outreach Templates

Select the approach by accessibility: prefer a warm introduction when a mutual connection exists; otherwise use direct outreach. Replace every bracket with specific, researched detail before sending.

Message to Mutual Connection (request an intro)

Hey [Mutual],

Quick favor - I'm trying to connect with [Champion Name] at [Company].

We help [companies like theirs] with [specific problem], and given [their role/recent news], thought it might be relevant.

Would you be comfortable making an intro? Happy to send you a forwardable email.

Thanks!
[Your Name]

Forwardable Email (for the mutual connection to pass along)

Subject: Introduction: [Your Name] -> [Champion Name]

Hi [Champion Name],

[Mutual Connection] suggested I reach out. I'm [Your Name] from [Your Company].

Quick context: We help [job titles like yours] at companies like [similar company 1] and [similar company 2] with [specific problem].

Given [recent company news / their role / specific observation], thought it might be worth a conversation.

Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call to explore if there's a fit?

[Your Name]

Direct Outreach (no warm intro available)

Subject: [Company Name] - [Specific Problem]

Hi [First Name],

I noticed [specific observation about them/company] and thought you might be dealing with [problem].

We've helped [similar company] reduce [problem metric] by [X]%, and I imagine as [their role], that would matter to you.

Worth a quick call to see if we could do the same for [Company Name]?

[Your Name]

Best Opening Line (for LinkedIn or first touch)

"Hi [Name], saw you recently [specific activity] - [relevant observation]. Given your role managing [area], I imagine [pain point]..."

Playbook: Tips, Best Practices, and Examples

Finding Champions

1. Look for recent hires: new people want quick wins 2. Look for promotions: promoted people want to prove themselves 3. Look for pain posters: people who post about challenges on LinkedIn 4. Look for change agents: track record of adopting new tools 5. Look for event speakers: public faces are accessible

Building Champion Relationships

1. Make them look good: help them be the hero internally 2. Arm them: give them talking points and ROI calculations 3. Coach them: teach them how to sell internally 4. Protect them: do not put them in awkward political positions 5. Celebrate them: give them credit when the deal wins

Best Practices

1. Start at the right level: Director/VP often best (too junior lacks power, too senior is too busy) 2. Multiple champions beat one: multi-thread to remove a single point of failure 3. Qualify early: do not assume someone is a champion; validate with questions 4. Give before asking: provide value before requesting introductions 5. Make it about them: champions must personally benefit 6. Document everything: track champion interactions and commitments in the CRM 7. Stay close: regular check-ins keep champions engaged

Trigger Phrases

• "Who should I connect with at Shopify to champion our tool?"
• "Find potential champions at this target account."
• "Analyze these LinkedIn profiles and identify the best champion."
• "Who at [Company] is most likely to advocate for us?"

Example Request

"I'm targeting Stripe for our developer tools product. Analyze their engineering leadership team on LinkedIn and identify who would be the best internal champion. I need someone who feels the pain of developer productivity and can influence purchasing decisions."

Response Approach

1. Research the company and the relevant department 2. Identify 5-10 potential champion candidates 3. Analyze each against champion criteria (pain, power, gain, access) 4. Rank from best to worst champion potential 5. Provide outreach strategy and talking points 6. Map the org chart and the multi-threading plan

A deal without a champion is just a conversation. A deal with a strong champion is materially more likely to close.

Champion Scoring Framework

What Makes a Great Champion

Champion profile (all five must be present):

• Has Pain: directly affected by the problem the solution solves
• Has Power: can influence the decision or control budget
• Has Gain: personally benefits when you win (promotion, bonus, easier work)
• Is Accessible: reachable, relationship can be built
• Is Willing: open to new solutions and vendors

Distinguish three roles:

• Champion: actively sells for you internally, has skin in the game
• Coach: helpful but passive, gives intel but will not advocate
• Blocker: opposes the solution (favors incumbent, risk-averse, loses if you win)

Scoring Dimensions (0-10 each)

1. Role Relevance - how directly the role relates to the solution 2. Influence Level - ability to affect the buying decision 3. Accessibility - reachability, warm intro possible 4. Change Agent - track record of adopting new solutions 5. Personal Stake - personal gain if you win 6. Engagement Potential - likelihood to respond to outreach

Total Champion Score (0-60)

• 50-60: Ideal champion candidate
• 40-49: Strong potential champion
• 30-39: Possible champion with work
• Below 30: Not likely to champion

Warning Signs (Not Actually a Champion)

• Too agreeable: says yes to everything but never acts; just being polite
• Cannot get you to others: promises introductions that never happen
• Does not know the process: cannot describe how decisions get made or who holds budget
• Not actually affected: speaks about the problem abstractly, no personal examples
• No skin in the game: no personal KPIs tied to the problem, just researching for someone else

When these appear: keep the contact in the loop (may be useful later), find the real champion who feels the pain, and do not invest in coaches posing as champions.