- Align all stakeholders on the problem and urgency before proposing; cuts late stage slippage.
- Quantify Cost of Inaction with a one-pager to create shared urgency.
- Stress-test your champion and map sceptics early to avoid rewrites later.
- Orchestrate a problem first group call; use neutral framing and invite dissent (wait in silence).
- Enable internal momentum: ghostwrite a short, problem-only email your champion can forward.
- Close with two questions, Worth solving?” “Prioritise now?” and log any gaps or absentees.
Snapshot
Cut late stage slippage by aligning every stakeholder before you propose a solution.
Why It Matters
38 % of B2B deals stall because the committee can’t agree on the problem.
The Playbook
1. Expose the Cost of Inaction
Action. Build a one page COI: objectives, current state, financial risk of doing nothing.
Why it works. Stakeholders feel urgency when they see the price of delay.
2. Map Sceptics, Test Your Champion
Action. Ask, “Who might oppose this, and why?” Rate your champion’s influence.
Why it works. Early dissent surfaced now saves rewrites later.
3. Ghostwrite the Champion’s Email
Action. Draft a brief, problem only email your champion can forward. No product talk.
Why it works. The story stays accurate and moves without you.
4. Host a Problem First Group Call
Action. Send a scheduling link, frame the meeting as a joint problem review, not a pitch.
Why it works. Lowers defences, secures time from hard‑to‑reach execs.
5. Open with Neutral Language
Action. Start the call: “Today we clarify if this problem is worth solving—solution later.”
Why it works. Removes sales pressure; invites honest input.
6. Invite Constructive Disagreement
Action. Present the COI, then ask, “Who sees this differently?” Wait in silence.
Why it works. Real debate reveals hidden blockers before they bite.
7. Close with Two Yes/No Questions
Action.
- “Is this a business problem worth solving?”
- “Should we prioritise it now?”
Log any absent stakeholder.
Why it works. Confirms urgency and exposes gaps that would slip the deal.
Common Pitfalls
- Pitching solution before pain is shared.
- Relying on one “super‑champion” who lacks clout.
- Skipping the silence after you ask for dissent—no silence, no truth.
Quick Self‑Test
- Can every stakeholder recite the cost of inaction in pounds or hours lost?
- Have known sceptics voiced concerns directly to you?
- Do you have written agreement on “why change, why now”?
If any answer is “no”, your forecast is at risk.
Need a sharper framework? Book a strategy call.
