Stakeholder Mapping & Influence

Gartner's research is unambiguous: the average enterprise buying committee has grown from 5 to 6–10 stakeholders, each contributing 4–5 information points to the decision. The seller's job is no longer convincing one decision-maker — it is enabling internal consensus across a fragmented committee.

For each stakeholder:

• Role in the decision (Decision Maker, Influencer, User, Approver, Blocker)
• Personal win — what success looks like for *them*
• Stance (Champion / Supporter / Neutral / Skeptic / Detractor)
• Influence score (1–5) — actual power, not org-chart authority
• Relationship strength with us (1–5)
• Known relationships outside the formal hierarchy

Org charts lie about influence. Build the Power Map through Champion conversations: 'Who does the EB call before deciding?' 'Who can quietly veto?' 'Who shapes opinions in pre-meetings?' This intelligence does not exist on LinkedIn.

• Champions: equip them with tools (one-pagers, ROI models, FAQs) tailored to each committee member they need to convince
• Supporters: convert to Champions by giving them visible wins and exposure
• Neutrals: prioritize the most influential; ignore the irrelevant
• Skeptics: address their objection directly and bring data; do not avoid them
• Detractors: neutralize via senior cover or by routing the deal around their authority

Update the map after every meaningful interaction. Review it before every internal deal review. The map *is* the deal.