Selling to One Person? That’s a Mistake (Here’s What to Do Instead)

Today’s Skill: Multi-threading

Have you ever had a deal stall or a client disappear because the one person you were working with on the project left?

What can be just as worse is already having a client paying you but then the project is shelved when the one person leading it leaves.

→ Everything is great until it’s not. You realize your relationship wasn’t with the organization; it was with one person. Now you have to try to resell the value to all new people, if you can even get their attention.

You’re not alone. I’ve been there far more times than I’d like to remember.

That’s why it’s important to multi-thread as much as possible.

You want to build relationships with multiple stakeholders inside the organization so the partnership stays strong, even when roles or priorities shift.

What Is Multi-Threading?

Multi-threading means having more than one point of contact inside a client or prospect’s organization.

Instead of relying on one buyer or advocate, you engage multiple people throughout the sales process and the partnership. You gain different perspectives from different individuals versus hearing it from one person.

→ Ever play “the Telephone game”. Things often get lost in translation.

By including others, it helps drive consensus openly versus behind-the-scenes in a conference room you’re not included in.

Why It Matters?

Leadership turnover is inevitable 

New leaders bring new priorities, and you want to stay connected during transitions so you can remind them who you are and what value you bring to the organization.

→ Basically, why does your budget item need to remain.

Organizational complexity

Sometimes your main contact only sees part of the picture, and you need others to give input on bigger needs or barriers, especially when your product/service is going to be used by multiple stakeholders with varying roles.

→ Gaining consensus from other key contributors could help build a better business case.

Upsell + expansion opportunities

When you know multiple stakeholders, you can spot where to deepen the partnership which could bring expansion of your products across other departments.

→ Also, don’t forget about the added bonus of additional referrals or references

Risk mitigation

If one person leaves or gets too busy, you don’t lose the entire relationship. It also gives you a “life line” to reach out to should your main point of contact all of a sudden go dark.

→ You spend a ton of time during the sales process, the last thing you want is it to fall completely flat because one person leaves.

3 Ways To Multi-Thread

Expand the Circle

Next time you meet with your point of contact, ask:

“Who else on your team would benefit from hearing about these results?” or “Is there anyone you’d recommend we loop into this conversation to align on next steps?”

Most likely there are others in the organization that are influential in making this project happen. You don’t want them to be hidden in the background. You want them involved.

Be a Collaborator

When others join calls or are involved in the project, make sure you are addressing their needs and following up appropriately. If you are sending your Control Email after a call, copy everyone that was on the call, not only your point of contact.

Another way to get visibility is to follow-up with a decision maker that asked a specific question. So, if a question needs more depth or research, you can simply say, “Tom, let me look into that further for you and I’ll email you tomorrow with additional clarity.”

You now have a direct line to that decision maker to send them the info they are asking for. Remember to cc your main point of contact to keep them in the loop.

Stay Visible at the Top

Even if you work daily with a frontline champion, schedule periodic check-ins or updates with executives.

Send at least a quarterly summary highlighting wins, outcomes, and progress so leadership stays aware of your impact.

→ Make sure you “cc” your champion on all outreach to show that everyone is working collaboratively. It also gives added praise for your champion to their leadership which makes them look good.

One Last Thing

Don’t force multi-threading.

Every organization runs differently. Sometimes you’ll ask to include others but they won’t include others for whatever reason. Sometimes you’ll have decision makers on the call that ask you to run everything through the main point of contact.

Although these could and should be considered “red flags”, it doesn’t mean it’s not a viable opportunity.

Start looking for ways to bring others into the mix when appropriate.

When you multi-thread, you’re not just “selling a contract” but you’re embedding yourself as a partner across the organization.

That leads to:

• Stronger retention

• Bigger upsell/expansion opportunities

• Higher perceived value

Your Action Step

Start with your current clients: If you’re only connected to one person at those accounts, start to figure out who else you can include in conversations. Who could benefit from the work you are providing and who needs to be abreast of the output and outcomes of the project.

From there, you’ll start to recognize the different roles that could be involved in your sales process.

This gives you a map for your sales process to understand who needs to be involved and why they’d be valuable for the project. This way, you can start multi-threading on your next sales opportunities!