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A lot of you have a situation in which you’re trying to generate leads in a market that requires various sign-offs before you close the sale. For example, you may be selling enterprise software to big corporations, or complex services to organizations (like non-profits or school boards) in which there is more than one person (and often a committee) involved in the sales process.

If you’re in this situation, my advice is to figure out who the key players are: the Real Buyer (the guy or gal who signs the check), the Champion, and the VP of No. The Real Buyer needs to be made aware of your offering at the 10,000 foot detail–they really don’t have the time to digest lots of information or attend long sales pitches, demos, or what have you. These people get benefits-laden information in a high-touch fashion, such as personalized notes, special newsletters, etc. Never assume that the Real Buyer is the CEO or top banana of an organization! The real buyer can be a line manager or someone else entirely, like the CFO.

The Champion can be just about anyone in the organization, from a lowly receptionist all the way to the CEO of the organization. They’re the person who roots for you, the one (usually) in most pain, or who is otherwise incentivized to get something moving. They’re the person who fills you in, for example, on your standing in the RFP process. For this person, do everything and be available at all times. If they need background materials, provide it. If they want to interview your SMEs, arrange it. If they call you at midnight, take the call. Build up trust. Never try to sell this person. Show your product’s pimples and warts. Build trust.

The VP of No is that person, often hard to identify, who has the right to veto your proposal no matter how many other yeses there are. If you’re not sure who this person is, ask the Champion–they’ll definitely know. Once you know who this person is, don’t avoid them. Instead of showing them benefits-heavy messaging (like you would with the Real Buyer) give this person lots and lots of facts, features, and empirical evidence. Don’t tell them that lots of your customers like your product; show them testimonials, customer satisfaction surveys, and other hard data. A VP of No tends to be smart, savvy, analytical, and extremely experienced in their industry and dealing with vendors. Never make a promise that you can’t fulfill, or even sounds like you can’t fulfill.

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