The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results
by Brent Adamson · 2015
In a nutshell
By Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman (2015, Portfolio), the follow-up to The Challenger Sale shifts focus to buying committees, showing that the easiest-to-reach stakeholder is often not the one who drives a 'yes' decision.
Overview
Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman published The Challenger Customer in 2015 (Portfolio/Penguin), building on CEB research into how modern B2B purchases are made by groups, not individuals.
Key Ideas
- Large B2B deals require consensus among several stakeholders, not just one champion.
- The friendliest, most available contact is rarely the most influential one.
- Look for 'Mobilizers' who can actually drive internal change and consensus.
- Equip Mobilizers with tools and arguments they can use internally without you.
- Avoid wasting time on easy but powerless 'Talkers' and 'Friends'.
Best For
Enterprise sales teams navigating multi-stakeholder deals.
Reference
The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results — publisher / official page. Summary adapted from the Awesome Startup Books collection.
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