Selling to Champions vs. Economic Buyers: Selling exclusively to champions is a pattern that produces deals that die in committee. The champion can advocate but typically can’t approve. Economic buyers — CFOs, CPOs, legal — hold approval authority, and deals that never engage them directly stall when the champion’s advocacy isn’t enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Stop Selling to Champions impact portfolio exit valuation?
This metric influences buyer risk assessment and multiple expansion during diligence. Strong performance here demonstrates revenue quality and operational maturity.
What’s the first step to implement Stop Selling to Champions?
Start with a current-state audit of how the metric performs against peer benchmarks. Then prioritize the top 3 operational changes that move this metric meaningfully.
Key Takeaways
- Customer Acquisition Cost — CAC determines profitability of customer acquisition by dividing marketing spend by new customers.
- Expansion Revenue — Expansion revenue from upsells and cross-sells extends customer LTV and improves unit economics.
- Customer Retention — Retention economics focus on extending customer lifetime value through product improvements and support.
- SaaS Valuation — SaaS companies trade at premium multiples based on ARR growth rates and margin expansion potential.
Which team owns Stop Selling to Champions in a typical PE-backed SaaS company?
RevOps or the VP of Sales typically own GTM metrics; VP of CS owns retention metrics; CFO owns profitability metrics. Align accountability to drive execution.
