What is a champion in sales?
A champion is a person inside a prospect's company who actively supports your solution and helps move the deal forward internally.
Why it matters for sales teams
Sellers are not in the room when buyers discuss their options. A champion is. They explain your value in their own words, answer internal questions, flag risks early and help you reach the decision-maker. A strong champion can keep a deal moving when it would otherwise stall.
A true champion has influence and a personal reason to want the change, such as a problem they own. Someone who likes your product but has no influence is a fan, not a champion. The C in MEDDIC stands for champion.
Example
An operations manager at a logistics firm is frustrated with manual reporting. After the demo, she builds the internal business case, sets up a meeting with her CFO, and tells the AE that IT will ask about data security. The AE prepares answers in advance, and the deal clears both reviews.
Champion vs economic buyer
The economic buyer controls the budget and gives final approval. The champion sells on your behalf inside the company. Sometimes they are the same person, but often the champion works to win over the economic buyer.