Research-Backed Identification of Customer Stakeholder Types

Key Insight

Extensive research involving over 1000 sales representatives and 1300 individual customer stakeholders across more than 40 companies was conducted to understand how star sellers achieve consensus-based sales. This included an expansive study of sales rep behaviors and beliefs, structured interviews with star performers, and two major customer studies. One customer study surveyed 600 stakeholders to map team-based purchase decisions, and another surveyed 700 stakeholders to determine which types are best at driving change and building consensus. This rigorous analysis, which screened for sophisticated purchases and larger organizations (over 1000 employees), involved a 135-question survey and situational judgment scenarios to objectively measure proclivity for driving change.

The research identified seven discrete customer stakeholder profiles in a typical B2B sale, which the data clearly indicate represent a 'primary posture' for each customer in working with suppliers and driving internal change. These profiles are: the 'Go-Getter' (focused on organizational improvement, translating ideas into work plans), the 'Skeptic' (challenges proposals, wary of large projects, needs convincing), the 'Friend' (readily accessible, willing to network), the 'Teacher' (shares insights, good at convincing others, paints a bold vision), the 'Guide' (provides confidential information, enjoys being 'in the know'), the 'Climber' (focused on personal gain, backs projects that raise their profile), and the 'Blocker' (avoids change, defends status quo, rarely helps suppliers).

A critical finding is the stark difference in stakeholder targeting between high-performing (star) reps and average-performing (core) reps. Star performers prioritize stakeholders who can (1) drive change across their organization and (2) build consensus among colleagues, a realization they often come to independently. In contrast, core performers inadvertently target stakeholders with little impact on organizational change. Sales reps who engage effectively with consensus-driving stakeholders are 31 percent more likely to be high performers, highlighting the profound impact of targeting the 'right people' rather than just 'any people'.