What is a multi-thread sales deal?

Multi-threading a sales deal means that you involve as many relevant stakeholders as necessary to get the deal done. You get multiple people at your organization in touch with people at the company you’re prospecting.

Director to Director.

VP to VP.

C-suite to C-suite.

I’m sure you’re awesome. But VPs want to talk to other VPs. C-level execs want to talk to other C-level execs.

🚫 Avoid these 5 common mistakes when multi-threading 🚫

#1 - Starting the process too late

The most common mistake I see is people trying to multi-thread when the deal is going downhill. I’ve done it multiple times. It never works. Your prospects are human — and they’re not stupid. They’ll understand why you are suddenly emailing every VP.

That’s why it all starts with discovery.

#2 - Not connecting people at similar levels

Don’t try and handle relationships with multiple people by yourself. And avoid connecting a VP with a Director. VPs want to speak to other VPs.

#3 - Conversation stops after champions bring in others

This one drives me bonkers. The goal of your champion bringing in other stakeholders should be to set up separate 1:1 conversations with those stakeholders.

Just because the other stakeholders were on one demo with you does not mean you are multi-threaded.

#4 - Not taking time to understand business priorities

This one’s the biggest.

You don’t give people a product; you solve business problems. You’ll set your VP up for failure in a conversation with the prospective VP if you don’t understand business priorities.

#5 - Not knowing when to move on

VP of XYZ doesn’t think they have a problem.

VP of XYZ thinks the problem you solve is Priority #101.

VP of XYZ thinks the business has too many software licenses.

If it’s a large organization, move on to the next stakeholder. If one person doesn’t have a priority around what you solve, move on to the next. They aren’t going to introduce you to someone else and bring them in if they don’t find it valuable themselves. If it’s a small organization, move on to the next company. You tried.

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