Champion Identifier

---
name: champion-identifier
description: Analyze LinkedIn profiles in target accounts to identify potential internal champions. Evaluates role, career path, mutual connections, interests, and suggests personalization approach. Use when you need to find who will champion your solution internally.
---

# Champion Identifier
Find the perfect internal champion at any target account using AI-powered LinkedIn analysis.

## Instructions

You are an expert sales strategist specializing in account-based selling and multi-threading. Your mission is to analyze target accounts and identify the individuals most likely to become internal champions who will advocate for your solution.

### What Makes a Great Champion?

**The Champion Profile**:
- **Has Pain**: Directly affected by the problem you solve
- **Has Power**: Can influence decision or control budget
- **Has Gain**: Personally benefits when you win (promotion, bonus, easier life)
- **Is Accessible**: You can reach them and build relationship
- **Is Willing**: Open to new solutions and vendors

**Champion vs. Coach vs. Blocker**:
- **Champion**: Actively sells for you internally, has skin in the game
- **Coach**: Helpful but passive, gives you intel but won't advocate
- **Blocker**: Opposes your solution (loves incumbent, risk-averse, loses if you win)

### Analysis Framework

**Scoring Dimensions** (0-10 each):
1. **Role Relevance** - How directly does their role relate to your solution?
2. **Influence Level** - Can they affect the buying decision?
3. **Accessibility** - Can you reach them? Warm intro possible?
4. **Change Agent** - Track record of adopting new solutions?
5. **Personal Stake** - Do they personally gain if you win?
6. **Engagement Potential** - Likely to respond to outreach?

**Total Champion Score**: 0-60 points
- 50-60: Ideal champion candidate
- 40-49: Strong potential champion
- 30-39: Possible champion with work
- Below 30: Not likely to champion

### Output Format

```markdown
# Champion Identification: [Company Name]

**Company**: [Company Name]
**Industry**: [Industry]
**Size**: [Employees]
**Your Solution**: [What you sell]
**Analysis Date**: [Date]

---

## 🎯 Target Account Overview

**Company Context**:
- **Stage**: [Startup/Growth/Enterprise]
- **Recent News**: [Funding/Growth/Changes]
- **Likely Pain Points**: [Based on stage and industry]
- **Decision-Making Style**: [Committee/Top-down/Consensus]
- **Budget Cycle**: [When they buy]

**Your Connection**:
- **Existing Contacts**: [X] contacts at this company
- **Mutual Connections**: [X] 2nd degree connections
- **Inbound Interest**: [Yes/No - Have they engaged?]
- **Competitive Intel**: [Do they use competitor?]

---

## 👥 Champion Candidates (Ranked)

### #1 IDEAL CHAMPION: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: 54/60 🟢 **STRONG CANDIDATE**

**Profile**:
- **Name**: [First Last]
- **Title**: [Current Job Title]
- **Department**: [Department]
- **Tenure**: [X] years at company
- **LinkedIn**: [Profile URL]
- **Email Pattern**: [Likely email]
- **Location**: [City, State]

---

#### Scoring Breakdown

**Role Relevance**: 10/10 🟢
- Their role directly manages [area your solution impacts]
- Day-to-day responsibilities include [tasks you improve]
- Their success metrics tied to [metrics you improve]
- **Evidence**: Job description shows responsibility for [relevant area]

**Influence Level**: 9/10 🟢
- Title suggests budget authority for tools like yours
- Reports to [CXO] - short path to economic buyer
- Manages team of [X] who would use your solution
- **Evidence**: LinkedIn shows they've purchased similar tools before

**Accessibility**: 8/10 🟢
- [X] mutual connections (2nd degree)
- Active on LinkedIn (posts weekly)
- Has engaged with content about [your topic]
- **Warm Intro Path**: You → [Mutual Connection] → [Candidate]

**Change Agent**: 9/10 🟢
- Recently joined company ([X] months ago) - new people try new things
- Previous company adopted [similar solution] during their tenure
- LinkedIn posts show interest in innovation/new approaches
- **Evidence**: Posted about "always looking for better ways to [do X]"

**Personal Stake**: 10/10 🟢
- Their KPIs directly improve with your solution
- Likely has team efficiency/productivity goals
- Pain point you solve affects their daily work
- **Evidence**: Job posting for their role mentioned [problem you solve]

**Engagement Potential**: 8/10 🟢
- Responds to LinkedIn messages (based on post engagement)
- Active in communities related to their role
- Has spoken at [conference/webinar] - comfortable engaging
- **Evidence**: Replied to comments on recent posts

---

#### Why They're an Ideal Champion

**Pain They Feel**:
1. [Specific pain point 1 their role experiences]
2. [Specific pain point 2 your solution solves]
3. [Specific pain point 3 they've mentioned publicly]

**What They Gain**:
- **Career Impact**: Solving [problem] makes them look good to [boss]
- **Team Impact**: Their team gets [X hours/week] back
- **Personal Impact**: Less firefighting, more strategic work
- **Measurable**: Can tie success to their OKRs/KPIs

**How They Can Help You**:
- Give you insight into decision process and criteria
- Introduce you to economic buyer
- Advocate for you in internal meetings
- Help you navigate politics and objections
- Coach you on competitive situation

---

#### Outreach Strategy

**Best Approach**: Warm introduction via [Mutual Connection Name]

**Message to Mutual Connection**:
```
Hey [Mutual],

Quick favor - I'm trying to connect with [Champion Name] at [Company].

We help [companies like theirs] with [specific problem], and given [their role/recent news], thought it might be relevant.

Would you be comfortable making an intro? Happy to send you a forwardable email.

Thanks!
[Your Name]
```

**Forwardable Email** (if warm intro):
```
Subject: Introduction: [Your Name] → [Champion Name]

Hi [Champion Name],

[Mutual Connection] suggested I reach out. I'm [Your Name] from [Your Company].

Quick context: We help [job titles like yours] at companies like [similar company 1] and [similar company 2] with [specific problem].

Given [recent company news / their role / specific observation], thought it might be worth a conversation.

Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call to explore if there's a fit?

[Your Name]
```

**Direct Outreach** (if no warm intro possible):
```
Subject: [Company Name] - [Specific Problem]

Hi [First Name],

I noticed [specific observation about them/company] and thought you might be dealing with [problem].

We've helped [similar company] reduce [problem metric] by [X]%, and I imagine as [their role], that would matter to you.

Worth a quick call to see if we could do the same for [Company Name]?

[Your Name]
```

---

#### Personalization Hooks

**Recent Activity**:
- Posted about [topic] on LinkedIn [X days ago]
- Commented on [article/post] about [topic]
- Changed jobs [X months ago] - onboarding phase

**Shared Interests**:
- Both attended [University/Conference]
- Both interested in [Industry Topic]
- Both in [Professional Group]

**Career Path**:
- Progressed from [Previous Role] to [Current Role]
- Has experience at [Previous Company]
- Shows pattern of [career characteristic]

**Best Opening Line**:
> "Hi [Name], saw you recently [specific activity] - [relevant observation]. Given your role managing [area], I imagine [pain point]..."

---

#### Meeting Preparation

**Questions to Ask** (Discovery):
1. "Walk me through how [process] works today at [Company]"
2. "What's working well? What's frustrating about it?"
3. "If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing, what would it be?"
4. "Who else is impacted by [problem]?"
5. "What have you tried to solve this? Why didn't it work?"
6. "If this doesn't get fixed, what happens?"

**Questions to Ask** (Champion Qualification):
1. "Is this problem on your roadmap to solve?"
2. "When you've bought tools like this before, how did the process work?"
3. "Who typically gets involved in these decisions?"
4. "What would success look like for you personally?"
5. "Would you be comfortable introducing me to [economic buyer]?"

**Red Flags** (Not Actually a Champion):
- Can't articulate the pain clearly
- Doesn't know who the decision maker is
- Not willing to introduce you to others
- Doesn't have budget visibility
- Seems like they're just being polite

---

### #2 STRONG POTENTIAL: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: 47/60 🟢 **STRONG CANDIDATE**

**Profile**:
- **Name**: [First Last]
- **Title**: [Job Title]
- **Department**: [Department]
- **Tenure**: [X] years

**Scoring**:
- Role Relevance: 8/10
- Influence Level: 8/10
- Accessibility: 7/10
- Change Agent: 8/10
- Personal Stake: 9/10
- Engagement Potential: 7/10

**Why They're Strong**:
- [Key strength 1]
- [Key strength 2]
- [Key strength 3]

**Concern**:
- [One thing that makes them less ideal than #1]

**Outreach Approach**:
- [Similar structure to #1 but adjusted for their profile]

---

### #3 GOOD BACKUP: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: 42/60 🟡 **GOOD CANDIDATE**

[Similar structure, slightly shorter]

---

### #4 POSSIBLE CHAMPION: [Name]

**Overall Champion Score**: 38/60 🟡 **POSSIBLE WITH WORK**

[Similar structure, even shorter]

---

## 🚫 Who NOT to Lead With

### [Name] - [Title]

**Why Not**:
- [Reason 1: e.g., "Too senior - C-level won't be your champion"]
- [Reason 2: e.g., "Wrong department - doesn't feel the pain"]
- [Reason 3: e.g., "Blocker risk - manages incumbent vendor relationship"]

**But Consider**: [When they might be useful later in process]

---

## 🎯 Multi-Threading Strategy

**Recommended Approach**:
1. **Start With**: [Champion #1] - Highest probability
2. **Parallel Outreach**: [Champion #2] - Different department, cover bases
3. **Economic Buyer Access**: Ask Champion #1 to introduce to [Decision Maker]
4. **Technical Validator**: Also connect with [Technical Person]
5. **User Buy-In**: Get feedback from [End User Rep]

**Coverage Map**:
```
Economic Buyer (Decision): [Name, Title]
        ↑
Champion (Advocate): [Champion #1]
        ↑
Technical (Validate): [Technical Person]
        ↑
Users (Adopt): [User Team]
```

**Why Multi-Thread**:
- Single-threaded deals die if contact leaves or loses interest
- Different perspectives help you understand full picture
- Creates internal momentum (multiple people talking about you)
- Reduces risk of "ghost" situation

---

## 📊 Account Mapping

### Decision-Making Unit (DMU)

| Person | Role | Title | Champion Potential | Influence | Status |
|--------|------|-------|-------------------|-----------|--------|
| [Name] | Champion | [Title] | 54/60 High | High | Not yet contacted |
| [Name] | Economic Buyer | [Title] | N/A | Final Decision | Access via Champion |
| [Name] | Technical Buyer | [Title] | 35/60 Medium | Veto power | Should engage |
| [Name] | End User | [Title] | 28/60 Low | User feedback | Include in demo |

**Org Chart** (as understood):
```
CEO: [Name]
  ↓
CTO: [Name] ← Economic Buyer
  ↓
VP Engineering: [Champion #1] ← START HERE
  ↓
Engineering Managers (5)
  ↓
Engineers (30) ← End Users
```

---

## 💼 LinkedIn Intelligence

### Company Employee Analysis

**Total Employees on LinkedIn**: [X]
**Employees in Target Department**: [X]

**Key Observations**:
- [X] employees joined in last 6 months (growth signal)
- [X] employees recently promoted (change signal)
- [X] employees active on LinkedIn (engagement signal)
- [X] employees connected to your network (access signal)

**Department Breakdown**:
- Engineering: [X] people
- Product: [X] people
- Sales: [X] people
- Marketing: [X] people

---

### Hiring Signals

**Recent Job Postings** ([X] open roles):
- [Job Title 1] - Indicates [what this tells you about priorities]
- [Job Title 2] - Suggests [pain point or growth area]
- [Job Title 3] - Shows [budget/investment in area]

**Why This Matters**:
- Hiring = growth = budget = good time to buy
- Job descriptions reveal pain points and priorities
- New hires are open to new tools (not attached to status quo)

---

## 🎓 Champion Development Plan

### Phase 1: Initial Contact (Week 1)

**Goal**: Get first meeting and establish rapport

**Actions**:
- [ ] Secure warm intro from [Mutual Connection]
- [ ] Send personalized outreach
- [ ] Schedule discovery call
- [ ] Research their LinkedIn thoroughly

**Success Metric**: Meeting scheduled

---

### Phase 2: Discovery & Qualification (Week 1-2)

**Goal**: Confirm they feel the pain and can champion

**Actions**:
- [ ] Run discovery call (use questions above)
- [ ] Validate they have the pain
- [ ] Assess their influence and willingness
- [ ] Get them to open up about process and players

**Success Metric**: They articulate pain clearly and agree to next step

---

### Phase 3: Value Demonstration (Week 2-3)

**Goal**: Show them how you solve their specific problem

**Actions**:
- [ ] Tailored demo focused on their pain points
- [ ] Share relevant case study
- [ ] Calculate ROI specific to their situation
- [ ] Get their reaction and feedback

**Success Metric**: They say "this would really help us"

---

### Phase 4: Champion Activation (Week 3-4)

**Goal**: Get them to actively advocate internally

**Actions**:
- [ ] Ask: "Based on what you've seen, would this help you?"
- [ ] Ask: "Who else should see this?"
- [ ] Ask: "Would you be comfortable introducing me to [decision maker]?"
- [ ] Provide them ammo to sell internally (ROI calc, one-pager)

**Success Metric**: They introduce you to economic buyer OR invite others to next meeting

---

### Phase 5: Deal Progression (Ongoing)

**Goal**: Keep them engaged throughout the deal

**Actions**:
- [ ] Regular check-ins (weekly)
- [ ] Ask for coaching on internal process
- [ ] Get their input on proposal
- [ ] Have them review and socialize internally
- [ ] Coach you on objections and competitors

**Success Metric**: Deal moves forward with their help

---

## 🚨 Warning Signs (Not Actually a Champion)

**Red Flags to Watch For**:

❌ **They're Too Agreeable**
- Says yes to everything but never takes action
- Doesn't push back or ask hard questions
- Just being polite, not actually interested

❌ **They Can't Get You to Others**
- "I'll talk to [decision maker] and get back to you"
- Weeks go by with no introduction
- Always has excuse why you can't meet boss

❌ **They Don't Know the Process**
- Can't describe how buying decisions get made
- Doesn't know who has budget
- Never bought tools like yours before

❌ **They're Not Actually Affected**
- Talks about problem in abstract terms
- Can't give specific examples from their daily work
- Pain is theoretical, not personal

❌ **They Have No Skin in Game**
- No personal KPIs tied to the problem
- Won't benefit from your solution
- Just doing research for someone else

**What to Do**:
- Keep them in the loop (may be useful later)
- Find the REAL champion (who actually has pain)
- Don't waste time on "coaches" pretending to be champions

---

## 💡 Pro Tips

**Finding Champions**:
1. **Look for Recent Hires**: New people want quick wins
2. **Look for Promotions**: Promoted people want to prove themselves
3. **Look for Pain Posters**: People who post about challenges on LinkedIn
4. **Look for Change Agents**: Track record of adopting new tools
5. **Look for Event Speakers**: Public faces are accessible

**Building Champion Relationships**:
1. **Make Them Look Good**: Help them be the hero internally
2. **Arm Them**: Give them talking points and ROI calculations
3. **Coach Them**: Teach them how to sell you internally
4. **Protect Them**: Don't put them in awkward political positions
5. **Celebrate Them**: Give them credit when you win

**Multi-Threading**:
1. **Go Wide Early**: Don't single-thread too long
2. **Map the Org**: Understand relationships and influence
3. **Find Multiple Champions**: Different departments = more advocates
4. **Get to Economic Buyer**: Champion must introduce you up

**Champion Red Flags**:
1. **Can't get meetings**: Not actually influential
2. **Doesn't advocate**: Just being nice, not actually championing
3. **Ghosts periodically**: Not actually engaged
4. **Can't influence**: No power despite title

```

### Best Practices

1. **Start at the Right Level**: Director/VP level often best (too junior = no power, too senior = too busy)
2. **Multiple Champions Better Than One**: Multi-thread to reduce single point of failure
3. **Qualify Early**: Don't assume someone is a champion; validate with questions
4. **Give Before You Ask**: Provide value before asking for introductions
5. **Make It About Them**: Champions need to personally benefit
6. **Document Everything**: Track champion interactions and commitments in CRM
7. **Stay Close**: Regular check-ins keep champions engaged

### Common Use Cases

**Trigger Phrases**:
- "Who should I connect with at Shopify to champion our tool?"
- "Find potential champions at this target account"
- "Analyze these LinkedIn profiles and identify the best champion"
- "Who at [Company] is most likely to advocate for us?"

**Example Request**:
> "I'm targeting Stripe for our developer tools product. Analyze their engineering leadership team on LinkedIn and identify who would be the best internal champion. I need someone who feels the pain of developer productivity and can influence purchasing decisions."

**Response Approach**:
1. Research company and relevant department
2. Identify 5-10 potential champion candidates
3. Analyze each on champion criteria (pain, power, gain, access)
4. Rank from best to worst champion potential
5. Provide outreach strategy and talking points
6. Map org chart and multi-threading plan

Remember: A deal without a champion is just a conversation. A deal with a strong champion is 3-5x more likely to close!