Unlocking Sales Success: How to Identify and Engage Shadow Decision-Makers in B2B Sales

Are you overlooking key decision-makers that could make or break your next big deal?

You have found your sales champion. You have spent time with this all-important contact and your good work has them bringing new contacts to every meeting. You are certain that you are going to win, as you have won the champion’s relationship. But not so fast.

Your sales champion may be enthusiastic or influential, but that isn’t going to sign the contact. The sales champion is only one piece of a complex puzzle. You cannot forget about the people who hold the purse strings and the power to say yes. How many deals collapse in the final stretch?

You may start to notice that your champion is not as available as they once were. You continue to call, only to find their voicemail is full. Even though you would much prefer to have a conversation, you decide to send an email, doing your best to avoid seeming needy, although you do need their business.

Why Your Sales Champion May Not Be Enough to Close the Deal

Unable to reach your sales champion, you start reaching out to some of the contacts that participated in some of the many meetings you had. None of the contacts are able to give any update on the change initiative you have been working on over weeks and months. Stumped as to what to do, you start to believe that the deal is dead, and if it isn’t, you will need a defibrillator to shock it back into life.

Maybe you have done something that caused a stall. More likely, your sales champion is busy and is still pursuing the change initiative, including with you as their partner. It may also be that you have not yet won over the shadow decision-makers. Many of these shadow decision-makers are senior leaders, who are responsible for budgets and need to sign your contract. These shadow decision-makers are not likely to reveal themselves until most of the work of buying is done.

The Risk of Overlooking Shadow Decision-Makers

You can feel confident about a deal because you have access to a sales champion and a good number of other contacts who will eventually weigh in on a decision. However, this is not evidence that you have all the contacts you will need to win the company’s business.

One common mistake is not addressing people who will need to be part of the conversations or greenlight your solution. Another obstacle that can stall a deal is not knowing the shadow decision makers or what they will need to be able to say yes to you and your solution.

Perhaps the worst mistake is failing to ask about who else you and your champion are going to need to move forward because you are afraid of insulting your champion. The longer you wait to identify the shadow decision makers, the more challenging it will be to win the client’s business. It will also stretch your sales cycle beyond the average sales cycle.

Strategies for Engaging Shadow Decision Makers

1. Proactively Identify Shadow Decision Makers: The first strategy is to proactively identify shadow decision makers. After you create the value that proves you are the right salesperson, ask your sales champion and other contacts direct questions about who will be involved in the final decision. By mapping out the stakeholders and their roles, you can build a strategy to engage individuals and teams. Never rely on a single egg in your basket.
2. Leverage Internal Advocates: It can be helpful to cultivate internal advocates. Not only can you gain an awareness of the shadow decision makers, but you can also acquire a perspective on the decision-making process. By building these relationships, you won’t have to depend on a single decision maker. You need to lead the client and guide the narrative to bring the right people to the table.
3. Communicate Consistently: Relationships are expensive. They require time, effort, and caring. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder; it makes the heart wander. By consistently communicating, you can keep your contacts updated about your progress, deal with concerns, or share news. Communication can help you maintain momentum in the sales process, while also preventing any gaps you and your sales champion might have missed.
4. Resolve Concerns Early: You want to know about concerns your shadow decision makers may have before you engage with them. By anticipating these concerns, you can prepare to resolve potential roadblocks like budget issues, implementation problems, or alignment with the company’s strategic outcomes. It is important that you be proactive about anything that might cause you to lose a deal. Problems don’t age well. Solve them early.
5. Adapt to Changes in Decision Making: As you and your sales champion pursue the deal, you may face unexpected changes, like shifts in leadership or strategic priorities. You may need to adjust your strategy, engage new stakeholders, or adapt your approach.

It is important that you control the conversation, the narrative, and most importantly, the decision-making process. If you allow your sales champion to do the heavy lifting, you are hoping against hope. As you know, hope is not a reliable strategy.

If you are a salesperson, study these strategies and ensure you connect with the shadow decision makers. If you are a sales leader, ask your team to share their stakeholder mapping to ensure the decision-makers are known and are engaged in the sales conversation.

Do good work and I will see you tomorrow.