We asked three sales leaders what you should ask a champion to see if they're the real deal

A contact who says "I love this, I'll push for it internally" costs themselves nothing by saying it.

What's a specific ask or test you'd give a supposed champion early — one that reveals whether they actually have internal capital and will spend it — before you've bet the deal on them?

Leslie Venetz

Founder - The Sales-led GTM Agency

You need to understand a champion's process if you want to properly gauge their ability and desire to be an internal catalyst.

Ask discovery questions about whether they’ve ever helped with a similar purchasing decision or who else is usually involved in those decisions.

I am big on what I call “buyer-initiated action.”

I need the champion to articulate what the next step is, when it will happen, and — most importantly — how I will be kept in the loop.

It costs champions nothing to claim they will “push for it internally.”

If a contact is unwilling to help you map the buying process or commit to specific next steps, you're likely dealing with a coach — not a champion.

Davidson Hang

Head of Business Development - Untap Your Sales Potential

Before we both invest time, energy, and resources, I like to ask, "If you had to stack-rank your priorities, where does this initiative fall?"

Then I dig a little deeper: "What's the business reason behind it, and what's your personal 'why' for reaching out to us?"

Those answers tell me far more than any qualification framework. From there, I watch whether their actions match their words.

Are they responsive? Do they introduce other stakeholders? Are they willing to invest time in the process?

Serious buyers don't just say they're interested — they consistently demonstrate it through their actions.

That's often the clearest indicator of whether someone is truly committed to making a change.

Collin Cadmus

Founder - Collin Cadmus, LLC

Ask them what products they’ve participated in buying for their company before.

If they aren’t actively involved in purchasing technology for their company, their level of interest may mean little.

Whether they're a true decision maker is what matters most, but they could still be a strong advocate to help you reach the right person.

Having an end-user who loves your product is also a very good way to get into an account — you can leverage their positive feedback to connect with a contact that really moves the needle.

Title and tenure can also be directional in how likely they are to have buying power.