Map the Buying Group With Your Champion

An account map is useful only when it explains how people contribute to the decision. A list of names is not a strategy.

Read the signal

The champion may know who uses the product, who funds it, who reviews risk, and who can veto it. They may not know every person’s position yet. Treat unknowns as questions, not blanks to fill with guesses.

Make the next move

Sketch roles around the decision: sponsor, evaluator, operator, approver, and reviewer. Ask the champion which roles are missing and which conversations are appropriate. Give each introduction a purpose.

Language you can adapt

Illustrative wording:

We have spoken with the workflow team. Who will review the implementation plan, and what would they need from us before they can weigh in?

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

Update the map when new stakeholders appear. If a required role remains inaccessible, name that risk in the deal plan.

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.