Stop trying to convince executives to adopt your priorities. Instead, identify their existing strategic initiatives—often with internal code names—and frame your solution as an accelerator for what they're already sold on doing. This dramatically reduces friction and speeds up deals.

Beyond the champion and economic buyer, every enterprise deal has a "challenger"—someone who stands to lose power, budget, or relevance if you succeed. This person, often building a competing internal solution, can kill a deal at the final hour. You must identify and neutralize them early.

Getting a partnership deal done requires more than a good pitch; it requires an internal advocate. Leaders should leverage their network to identify and cultivate a champion inside the target company. This person is critical for navigating internal bureaucracy and pushing the deal over the goal line, as "there's a million ways for deals to die."

Instead of pitching a new idea in a vacuum, connect it directly to a leader's existing priorities, such as market disruption or a specific annual goal. This reframes your idea as a way to achieve their vision, increasing the likelihood of approval.

In enterprise deals, discovery shouldn't stop at company objectives. Ask your champion about a key stakeholder's personal career goals. Are they newly promoted and need to prove themselves? Are they aiming for their next promotion? Aligning your solution to their personal ambitions creates a much stronger motivation to buy.

In complex enterprise sales, don't rely solely on your champion. Proactively connect with every member of the buying committee using personal touches like video messages. This builds a network of allies who can provide crucial information and help salvage a deal if it stalls.

Securing executive buy-in is its own sales stage, distinct from champion agreement. Don't just repeat the demo for the boss. Use executive-level tactics like reference calls with their peers, exec-to-exec meetings to build relationships, or roadmap presentations to sell the long-term vision and partnership.

When you identify a deal blocker, don't confront them alone. First, approach your champion and ask for their perspective on the dissenter's hesitation and advice on the best way to engage them. This provides crucial internal political context and helps you formulate a more effective strategy before you ever speak to the blocker.

Corporate Development facilitates M&A but should not be the "sponsor." The true sponsor is the internal leader from product or engineering who will own the acquisition's success post-close. This distinction ensures clear accountability and prevents deals that lack a dedicated internal champion.