Run a Useful Champion Check-In

A status call can become a ritual in which the seller asks for updates and the champion has none. A good check-in helps the buyer solve a specific internal problem.

Read the signal

Before scheduling, identify what changed since the last conversation and what decision is coming. If neither side has new information, a call may waste the champion’s time. A concise written update can be more respectful.

Make the next move

Send an agenda with the open question and any evidence you will bring. On the call, ask what reactions the champion heard internally, what concerns remain, and which person owns the next action. End by confirming who will do what.

Language you can adapt

Illustrative wording:

I can share the revised implementation outline and hear what the team said about the pilot. If the internal review has not happened yet, we can skip the call and reconnect afterward.

The wording is a starting point. Replace the problem, evidence, and request with details the buyer actually gave you. If those details are missing, ask a question before sending a polished message. Specificity makes it easier for the buyer to correct your understanding and easier for you to see whether the opportunity is moving.

Decide what happens next

If the champion has concrete feedback, act on it. If every check-in ends with no new step, revisit whether the opportunity belongs in an active stage.

Write the result in your deal notes as an observable fact: who responded, what they agreed to do, and when. A friendly reply is useful, but a decision, a named owner, or a scheduled review tells you more. If the next step remains vague, treat that as information about the deal rather than a reason to send the same follow-up again.

Use these examples responsibly. Describe your product, pricing, and customer results accurately, and adapt every suggestion to the buyer’s stated process.