How to involve stakeholders efficiently in complex sales processes

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Last updated:  
September 18, 2024

Ever been deep into a deal, thinking things are going great, and then—bam!—a whole new set of stakeholders appears out of nowhere? Suddenly, what seemed like a smooth process turns into a juggling act. It’s one of the biggest challenges in complex sales: making sure all the right people are involved at the right time, without slowing everything down.

Let’s talk about how you can make this happen without the headaches.

Identify stakeholders early

In any complex sale, you’re not dealing with just one person. There are multiple decision-makers, influencers, and behind-the-scenes players. Identifying them early on is critical.

Ask key questions from the start:

  • Who makes the final call?
  • Who else will be affected by this decision?
  • Who needs to be involved at specific stages?

The faster you can map out the decision-making unit, the smoother your process will be.

Tailor your approach for each stakeholder

Not every stakeholder is going to care about the same things. The CTO might want technical specs, while finance focuses on the numbers. If you involve everyone in all the conversations? That’s how you lose their attention.

Instead, have a plan. For example, functional owner gets the details, business owner gets the ROI, and executives get the big picture. When each stakeholder sees content relevant to their needs, they stay engaged, and the process keeps moving forward.

Bring the right people in at the right time

Not every stakeholder needs to be involved from day one. You can overwhelm prospects if you try to involve everyone too early.

Focus on timing: the legal team doesn’t need to review a demo, and finance doesn’t care about the product specs until pricing is set. Bringing people in at the right stage avoids confusion and keeps things efficient.

Centralize communication with a digital sales room

Managing communication across multiple stakeholders can get messy fast. This is where a digital sales room comes in handy. Instead of using scattered email threads, a DSR gives everyone a single place to access documents, proposals, and updates.

With a DSR, each stakeholder can access the content that’s relevant to them. Plus, you can track engagement to know who’s paying attention and who might need a follow-up. It’s a simple way to keep the process organized and moving forward.

Keep communication clear and consistent

Clear communication is key when you’re juggling multiple stakeholders. Everyone needs to know what’s happening, what’s expected of them, and when they need to step in.

By keeping updates consistent and expectations clear, you avoid confusion and make sure no one is left out of the loop. This prevents last-minute surprises and delays.

Handle objections as they come

When you’ve got a lot of people involved, objections are going to pop up. Whether it’s the IT team having concerns about integrations or purchasing looking for a better deal, the best approach is to handle objections early.

Don’t wait until the final stages to deal with concerns. Address them head-on when they come up to keep things moving. This pro-active approach shows you’re on top of things and keeps the deal from stalling.

Involving stakeholders without slowing down

Involving the right stakeholders in complex sales can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Identify who needs to be involved, tailor your communication, and bring people in at the right time. Using tools like digital sales rooms and staying clear in your communication ensures the process stays on track. Do it right, and even the most complex sales won’t feel so complicated.

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Ever been deep into a deal, thinking things are going great, and then—bam!—a whole new set of stakeholders appears out of nowhere? Suddenly, what seemed like a smooth process turns into a juggling act. It’s one of the biggest challenges in complex sales: making sure all the right people are involved at the right time, without slowing everything down.

Let’s talk about how you can make this happen without the headaches.

Identify stakeholders early

In any complex sale, you’re not dealing with just one person. There are multiple decision-makers, influencers, and behind-the-scenes players. Identifying them early on is critical.

Ask key questions from the start:

  • Who makes the final call?
  • Who else will be affected by this decision?
  • Who needs to be involved at specific stages?

The faster you can map out the decision-making unit, the smoother your process will be.

Tailor your approach for each stakeholder

Not every stakeholder is going to care about the same things. The CTO might want technical specs, while finance focuses on the numbers. If you involve everyone in all the conversations? That’s how you lose their attention.

Instead, have a plan. For example, functional owner gets the details, business owner gets the ROI, and executives get the big picture. When each stakeholder sees content relevant to their needs, they stay engaged, and the process keeps moving forward.

Bring the right people in at the right time

Not every stakeholder needs to be involved from day one. You can overwhelm prospects if you try to involve everyone too early.

Focus on timing: the legal team doesn’t need to review a demo, and finance doesn’t care about the product specs until pricing is set. Bringing people in at the right stage avoids confusion and keeps things efficient.

Centralize communication with a digital sales room

Managing communication across multiple stakeholders can get messy fast. This is where a digital sales room comes in handy. Instead of using scattered email threads, a DSR gives everyone a single place to access documents, proposals, and updates.

With a DSR, each stakeholder can access the content that’s relevant to them. Plus, you can track engagement to know who’s paying attention and who might need a follow-up. It’s a simple way to keep the process organized and moving forward.

Keep communication clear and consistent

Clear communication is key when you’re juggling multiple stakeholders. Everyone needs to know what’s happening, what’s expected of them, and when they need to step in.

By keeping updates consistent and expectations clear, you avoid confusion and make sure no one is left out of the loop. This prevents last-minute surprises and delays.

Handle objections as they come

When you’ve got a lot of people involved, objections are going to pop up. Whether it’s the IT team having concerns about integrations or purchasing looking for a better deal, the best approach is to handle objections early.

Don’t wait until the final stages to deal with concerns. Address them head-on when they come up to keep things moving. This pro-active approach shows you’re on top of things and keeps the deal from stalling.

Involving stakeholders without slowing down

Involving the right stakeholders in complex sales can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Identify who needs to be involved, tailor your communication, and bring people in at the right time. Using tools like digital sales rooms and staying clear in your communication ensures the process stays on track. Do it right, and even the most complex sales won’t feel so complicated.

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