Missed Quota Series: You Won Your Champion and Still Lost the Deal Here's Why | Donald C. Kelly - 1994

Missed Quota Series: You Won Your Champion and Still Lost the Deal Here's Why | Donald C. Kelly - 1994

From The Sales Evangelist by Donald C. Kelly

April 17, 2026 · 11 min · Episode 1994

About this episode

The episode discusses why deals stall even when a champion is won, emphasizing the importance of understanding the buying committee and providing the right tools to champions.

Today, most deals involve 11 to 13 decision-makers. Nobody wants to be the one held responsible if things go wrong. So instead of one decision-maker, you’re dealing with a full committee. That’s one of the biggest reasons deals stall, and that’s what we’re getting into in this Missed Quota episode. Why Deals Stall Even When You Do Everything Right You’ve done your research. You ran a solid discovery. The demo went well. And then the deal just sits there. A lot of times, it’s because you didn’t know who was really involved in the decision. On top of that, buyers are spending less time talking to sellers. They’re doing their own research and only bringing you in for a small part of the process. That means if you’re not connected to the right people, you can lose the deal without even realizing it. Build a Champion Toolkit If you have a champion inside the company, you need to set them up to win when you’re not in the room. That means giving them the right information to speak to different stakeholders. Think about what the CFO cares about. Think about legal, procurement, and leadership. Give your champion the tools to answer those questions so they can confidently represent your…

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