A champion keeps slipping the demo (slip-then-slip). How do we know when to move to a new contact or escalate around them?
Curated by Kory White · Fractional CRO, CRO Syndicate
Slip-Then-Slip Champion Detection
40w bait: Three slips = champion mismatch. Move to actual economic buyer (CFO, VP Sales). If your champion won't commit 4 hours to a POC in 14 days, they don't own the problem.
Operator Play
Pavilion research: 43% of stalled deals involve a champion with low internal authority or misaligned priorities. The tell-tale sign: They say yes, then slip. Twice. Then slip again.
Slip #1 is circumstance. Slip #2 is behavior. Slip #3 is a signal that your champion doesn't own the pain or lacks organizational weight to move it forward.
Three-move diagnostic:
- Call the slip directly (After 2nd miss): "I've heard we're working on this—I want to level-set. Is this still on your Q2 priority list, or has something else taken precedence?" (Listen for hedging. If they say "depends on budget" or "my team will decide," they're not the owner.)
- Qualify their authority (Day after call): "Who ultimately decides if we move forward? Is that you, your VP Sales, or your CFO?" (If they name someone else, you've found the real buyer. They're not just a gatekeeper.)
- Escalate conditionally (Day 3): "I respect your process. I want to make sure we're not blocking your team's priority. Can you make an introduction to [CFO/VP Sales] so we can understand timeline and get them aligned? If it's not a fit, they'll tell us." (You're not skipping your champion; you're making them a connector.)
Decision tree: When to escalate past a champion
| Behavior | Signal | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Demo rescheduled 1x, reschedules 2nd time | Low priority | Call to clarify |
| Says "yes" then goes dark | Authority mismatch | Escalate to CFO |
| Cites budget/committee blockers | Not the owner | Find economic buyer |
| Confirms pain but won't commit 4 hours | Conflict of interest | Ask directly: "What would unblock this?" |
| Gives you competitor names unprompted | Exploring, not buying | Pause pursuit 90 days |
Challenger move: After Slip #2, send written summary (email, not call): "I want to confirm we're still aligned. Here's what I heard: [3 pain points]. Here's what ROI looks like: [numbers].
Your availability is the constraint. For us to know if this is real, you need to commit 1 hour on Tuesday. If that's not possible this month, I'll loop in your CFO so we can map the right timeline.
Fair?"
This email does three things: (1) Shows respect for their time, (2) Adds urgency, (3) Provides an off-ramp (looping CFO) that feels like help, not pressure.
Don't trash them. Say: "I want to make sure we're not creating friction for you. If this is lower priority, we can pause and restart in Q3. Or if you think your CFO would want visibility, I can reach out directly." (They usually say "let me get you on their calendar.")
TAGS: slip-then-slip,champion-vetting,authority-qualification,economic-buyer,deal-velocity,Challenger-framework,Pavilion-signals,escalation-strategy,deal-qualification,priority-assessment
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FAQ
What does Pavilion research say about champions who slip repeatedly? Pavilion research found that 43% of stalled deals involve a champion with low internal authority or misaligned priorities. The tell-tale pattern is saying yes, then slipping—twice, then a third time. Three slips signals the champion doesn't own the pain or lacks the weight to move it.
How do you interpret the difference between slip #1, #2, and #3? Slip #1 is circumstance, slip #2 is behavior, and slip #3 is a signal that your champion either doesn't own the problem or can't move it organizationally. The escalation logic only triggers after the second miss. One slip alone isn't a reason to escalate around someone.
What's the 4-hour POC test for whether a champion truly owns the problem? If a champion won't commit even 4 hours to a POC within 14 days, the framework treats that as evidence they don't own the problem. The fix is to move toward the actual economic buyer—a CFO or VP Sales. Genuine pain owners make time.
What does the Challenger written-summary email accomplish after slip #2? The email confirms alignment by restating 3 pain points and the ROI numbers, then names the candidate's availability as the constraint and asks for a 1-hour commitment on Tuesday. It does three things: shows respect for their time, adds urgency, and provides an off-ramp to loop in the CFO.
The off-ramp feels like help, not pressure.
When should you pause pursuit for 90 days? When a champion gives you competitor names unprompted, the framework reads that as exploring rather than buying and recommends pausing pursuit for 90 days. The same 90-day pause applies if they can't commit by Friday after the email challenge. It's a deliberate hold, not abandonment.