To ensure pilots convert, enforce strict qualification criteria instead of offering them freely. OpenAI maintains a 100% pilot win rate by requiring executive sponsorship and participation, adhering to a rigid, proven playbook, and delivering a high-touch experience that demonstrates the value of a true partnership.

Don't make high-stakes decisions in a silo. Involve stakeholders throughout the discovery and analysis process. Having finance review your P&L or sales weigh in on customer pain builds shared context and turns your recommendation from 'your bet' into 'our bet.'

When selling AI to an enterprise, remember you're pitching an individual who is risking their reputation. The FDE's job is not just technical but political: make your internal champion look good. Frame the project around driving cost-effective value that contributes to their promotion.

Enthusiastic supporters (champions) are common for AI initiatives, but they often lack signing authority. The most predictive question for project success is identifying who will actually write the check for the production version, as this person is rarely the champion.

Technologists often fail to get project approval by focusing on specs and data. A successful pitch requires a "narrative algorithm" that addresses five key drivers: empathy, engagement, alignment, evidence, and impact. This framework translates technical achievements into a compelling business story for leadership.

A 'champion' likes your product, but a 'coach' has the internal experience and political capital to navigate procurement, legal, and other departments. To qualify a coach, confirm they have successfully managed similar complex projects in the past and can protect you from internal minefields.

A single internal advocate can be easily dismissed by others as just "the person who likes that vendor." However, cultivating three or more champions from different parts of the business fundamentally changes the dynamic. This transforms individual preference into organizational consensus, making your solution the clear and accepted choice.

To ensure buy-in for new initiatives, have both executives and frontline managers nominate internal champions. This "sandwich" approach creates highly committed advocates by combining top-level endorsement with on-the-ground credibility, preventing new strategies from failing at the team level.

Before launching a pilot, define the post-pilot timeline with your champion. Ask, "If this is successful, when can we get this deal signed?" If they can't commit to a reasonable timeline (e.g., within the next quarter), delay the pilot. Starting it without a clear path to closure exhausts your leverage and momentum.