Engaging the 100lb Brains

In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan dive deep into the mechanics of closing high-stakes deals with industry experts Carl Froggatt and Joe Lynch. Drawing from their experience at Deep Instinct and Citibank, Carl and Joe discuss how leveraging expert knowledge—what Kaplan calls the "100-pound brains"—is crucial for aligning stakeholders, solving business problems, and ensuring successful deal outcomes. Learn how to strategically engage these experts early in the sales process and navigate complex client environments like Citibank. This episode offers actionable insights for anyone involved in enterprise sales, focusing on building strong internal and external champions. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:02:09] The importance of understanding that companies like Citibank buy technology to solve business problems, not because it's "cool and flashy." [00:03:21] Building strong internal champions is as vital as having external champions. Relationships and sweat equity matter. [00:04:38] Similar-sized customers in the same vertical generally have the same needs, but their maturity levels can vary greatly. [00:06:20] Collaboration with key stakeholders to prioritize and validate business goals is crucial for successful pilot outcomes. HIGHLIGHT QUOTES [00:02:09] "Citi's not going to buy technology because it's cool and flashy; they're going to buy it to solve a business problem." [00:03:21] "Internal champions are just as important as external champions—building that personal and professional relationship is key." [00:06:20] "We just had so much data and due diligence, with champions like Carl helping us validate what really hits the nail on the head." Check out John McMahon’s book here: Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4 Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/ Read Force Management's eBook: https://www.forcemanagement.com/roi-of-sales-messaging