How to Confirm You Have a Real Champion in a Deal.
A friendly voice on the other end of the deal feels great. They like you. They say nice things. So you start to relax and call them your champion. But here is the hard truth: a champion is not someone who likes you. A champion is someone who acts for you when you are not in the room. If you confirm a real champion early, your deals get a lot more solid. Mistake that nice contact for a champion, and you are leaning on someone who was never holding you up.
The mistake most people make
Most people hear warm words and assume support. Your contact smiles, nods, and says "I love this, leave it with me." That feels like a yes. So you mark them down as your champion and move on. But you never checked if they would actually do anything. Weeks pass. You ask how it is going inside. They go quiet, or they say "still working on it." The deal was resting on a person who was happy to chat but never ready to fight for you.
What good looks like
Good sellers do not take warm words as proof. They look for action. A real champion has done something real to push the deal forward. They booked you a meeting. They shared your case with their boss. They chased a budget for you. You can point to a thing they did, not just a thing they said. That is the target: a supporter who has already acted, so you know they will act again.
How to do it
Check they have already acted for you
Look back over the deal. What has this person actually done, not just said? If you cannot name one real action, you have a friend, not a champion yet.
"Did they get me in front of their boss, or just promise to?"
Give them one small ask and watch
Test it gently. Ask for a tiny favour that helps the deal. Then see if they do it. Action tells you the truth that warm words cannot.
"Could you forward this one-pager to your director before Friday?"
If they will not act, treat them as a contact
No shame in it. A friendly contact still has value. But do not bet your forecast on them. Keep looking for someone who will actually go to bat for you.
"Sam is lovely and well informed, but he won't push. I need a real champion too."
See the difference
"The meritt deal is in great shape. My contact, Sam, is really keen. Every call he tells me he loves it and he's behind us all the way." You are reading warmth as support. You cannot name one thing Sam has actually done.
"Sam is my champion. I asked him to get me a slot with his director, and he did it that same week. He also shared my one-pager with the team without me asking. He's acting for me, not just smiling at me."
Same contact. One version is a hope built on nice words. The other is a champion you have already tested. The strong version points to real actions, so you can trust this person to keep pushing when you are not on the call.
How you'll know it's working
You've got this when every champion on your list has acted for you, not just spoken warmly. Look at your deals. For each one, can you name a real thing your supporter did to push it forward? Did they book a meeting, share your case, or chase a budget? If yes, you have a true champion. If not, you have a contact, and you know to keep looking. Your pipeline stops resting on warm words and starts resting on proof.
Questions people ask
How do I know if someone is a real champion or just a friendly contact?
Look at what they have done, not just what they have said. A real champion has taken a real action for you, like booking a meeting with their boss, sharing your case inside, or chasing a budget. A friendly contact gives warm words but never moves the deal. In meritt's qualification method, a champion is only confirmed once you can point to one real thing they did for you.
What is a champion in MEDDPICC?
In MEDDPICC, the champion is the C: a person inside the buyer's company who actively pushes your deal forward when you are not there. They have power or influence, a real reason to want you to win, and they take action on your behalf. The key word is action. Someone who likes your product but never sells it internally is a supporter or contact, not a champion.
How do I test if my champion will actually act for me?
Give them one small ask and watch what they do. Ask for a tiny favour that helps the deal, like forwarding a one-pager to their boss or booking a short call. If they do it, you have proof they will act again. If they go quiet or keep stalling, you have your answer. Action is the only real test of a champion, not warm words.
What should I do if my contact will not push the deal internally?
Treat them as a contact, not a champion, and do not rest your forecast on them. A friendly contact still has value, since they share useful information and warm you up inside the company. But you need someone who will actually go to bat for you when you are not in the room. Keep looking for a second person who is willing to act.
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