The days of selling to a single decision-maker are largely behind us. Today’s B2B sales environment is dominated by buying committees.
The Brooks Group surveyed our B2B clients to find out how they were dealing with multiple stakeholders. Our research shows that 50% of sales teams are selling to groups of 3-5 stakeholders, while 12% face committees of 6-9 people, and 4% deal with groups of 10 or more decision-makers.
This shift presents significant challenges for sales teams.
According to a recent survey by our Sales Performance Research Center, the top four obstacles when selling to buying committees are:
- Gaining access to all stakeholders (54% of respondents)
- Influencing stakeholders sellers can’t directly meet (37%)
- Gaining alignment among all stakeholders (35%)
- Differentiating against competitive offerings (33%)
As a sales leader, your role in coaching sellers through this complex situation is critical. Here’s how to equip your team with the strategies they need to succeed.
Download our research infographic to see how to overcome buying group challenges.
1. Understand Organizational Dynamics
Before your sellers can influence a buying committee, they must first understand it. This requires thorough stakeholder mapping and organizational analysis.
Coach your team to investigate and find the answers to these consultative selling questions:
- Who actually influences buying decisions?
Less than half of survey respondents can consistently identify all stakeholders before presenting a solution. - Which stakeholders do people trust for informal advice?
Don’t rely solely on org charts—informal influencers often hold more sway than titles suggest. - Who might resist change?
Some behavioral styles are naturally resistant to change, and identifying these individuals early is crucial. - Who favors your solution over the competition?
Understanding allegiances helps you develop targeted strategies.
Watch our webinar on demand: Proven Strategies for Selling to Multiple Stakeholders
2. Create a Stakeholder Map
Mapping helps sellers see gaps in their access. This tactical approach reveals who they know versus who they need to know, creating a roadmap for relationship building.
Encourage sellers to leverage all available resources for intelligence gathering, including LinkedIn research, mutual connections, and industry networks. Social platforms often reveal stakeholder preferences, connections to competitors, and professional priorities that may not surface in sales conversations.
3. Build Relationships with Stakeholders
Train your sellers to build multiple relationships within accounts and prepare thoroughly for every stakeholder interaction.
Consistency matters. Sellers should maintain regular touchpoints with buying committee members and make sure each interaction serves a purpose beyond sales advancement. This might include sharing relevant industry articles, providing data that supports their initiatives, or offering strategic insights about their business challenges.
The key is understanding what each stakeholder values—data, strategic insights, operational efficiency, or career advancement—and consistently delivering content that speaks to those priorities.
4. Adapt to Different Stakeholders
When presenting to buying groups, understanding behavioral and communication styles becomes paramount. B2B decision-makers process information differently and have varying preferences.
Train your sellers to recognize and adapt to different behavioral styles. Here are four buyer types based on the DISC assessment:
- Direct/Results-Oriented (D-style): Focus on outcomes, be concise, highlight ROI
- Influential/People-Oriented (I-style): Be engaging, use stories, emphasize relationship benefits
- Steady/Process-Oriented (S-style): Minimize change concerns, emphasize ease of implementation
- Conscientious/Detail-Oriented (C-style): Provide comprehensive data and detailed analysis
When sellers can’t identify styles in advance, coach them to leverage advocates for insights about stakeholder preferences and concerns.
5. Develop Multiple Advocates
Internal advocates are often your most valuable stakeholders, especially early in the sales process. They provide intelligence, argue on your behalf, and can introduce you to other decision-makers. Yet 61% of survey respondents only sometimes (or rarely) develop more than one advocate.
Coach your sellers to:
- Position themselves early as strategic partners. Move beyond vendor status to become a trusted advisor.
- Understand each advocate’s “why.” What’s in it for them personally and professionally?
- Provide value at every interaction. Never simply “check in” without bringing something of worth.
6. Prepare Advocates to Sell on Your Behalf
Since 67% of final purchase decisions are made or influenced by someone not on the buying committee, preparing advocates to represent your solution becomes critical.
Best practices include:
- Role-playing presentations with advocates before they meet with decision-makers
- Anticipating objections and providing advocates with responses
- Ensuring advocates understand the full value proposition and can articulate it clearly
- Providing supporting materials that advocates can share in your absence
These sales coaching questions will help ensure your sellers are properly prepared:
Discovery
- “What do you really know about this account?”
- “Who are your internal advocates, and why are they advocating for you?”
- “What is their internal buying process?”
- “What is the most important thing each stakeholder values?”
Relationships
- “What types of touchpoints have you had with your advocates?”
- “How have you prepared your advocate for presentations you can’t attend?”
- “Who are you competing against, and why do certain stakeholders favor the competition?”
Buying Process
- “What is their timeline for decision-making?”
- “Are there departments or business units where you don’t have contacts?”
- “What happens if your primary advocate leaves the company?”
7. Avoid Common Mistakes
Your sales training focus should be on developing a systematic approach while helping sellers avoid common pitfalls that derail committee sales. With the right strategies and consistent execution, your team can turn the complexity of buying committees from a challenge into a competitive advantage.
Don’t Assume Relationships Equal Sales
A common trap is equating good relationships with guaranteed wins. Strong relationships matter, but there’s no substitute for effective selling skills. Sellers must still deliver solutions that meet stakeholder needs and articulate clear value propositions.
Don’t Go Rogue
Circumventing established protocols or going around advocates destroys trust and can alienate the very people you’re counting on for support. Respect organizational hierarchies and decision-making processes, even when they seem inefficient.
Don’t Assume All Organizations Work the Same
Even experienced sellers can fall into the trap of assuming that what worked at one company will work at another. Organizations evolve, leadership changes, and processes shift. Every sales opportunity requires fresh discovery and process mapping.
Don’t Just “Check In”
Status updates without value-add are time wasters that position sellers as order-takers rather than strategic partners. Every interaction should advance the relationship, provide new insights, or solve a business problem.
Selling to Multiple Decision Makers
Selling to a buying group is a skill set your sellers can develop—not a complication to be endured. But it does require sellers to shift from an informal relationship-based approach to one using a consistent sales process. Success depends on mapping stakeholders, developing advocates, and delivering value consistently.
Remember: Preparation isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Sellers who do their homework and build trust with multiple advocates will consistently outperform those who rely on charm and relationships alone.
As a sales leader, your role is to ensure this approach becomes standard practice across your team. The organizations that master committee selling will have a significant competitive advantage in today’s complex B2B environment.
See how The Brooks Group IMPACT Selling® helps sales teams develop the skills and confidence to sell to multiple stakeholders.
