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Influence Mapping: The Secret to Higher Conversion
Prospecting often feels like a frustrating game of hide-and-seek. In today's B2B world, the idea of a lone buyer is a myth, and deals now involve a diverse group of stakeholders from various departments, each with their own priorities.
This challenging task is made worse by frequent collaboration breakdowns across go-to-market (GTM) teams. A Mural survey found that 85% of GTM teams frequently experience misalignment, with 89% seeing the impact on revenue. Simply put, GTM teams need a better way to engage a complex web of stakeholders.
Enter: influence mapping. This powerful, data-driven capability provides a clear visual guide that goes beyond a traditional org chart - helping teams quickly identify key players, uncover hidden connections, and reach the right people faster.
Accounts Are Ecosystems, Not Individuals
The idea that one person can single-handedly approve a major purchase is a thing of the past. Nowadays, companies bring together an integrated GTM team to evaluate and approve new solutions. This shift means the sales strategy has to evolve as well. Now, teams need to engage an entire ecosystem, which can be done with influence mapping.
For example, a software company was close to finalizing a deal with a new customer. The Head of IT was enthusiastic about the product and ready to move forward, but at the last minute, the legal team raised data privacy concerns that derailed the deal. Without using influence mapping, the sales team missed the opportunity to identify and engage this critical stakeholder early in the process.
On the other hand, influence mapping can also reveal unexpected champions, such as frontline employees or business sponsors, who can become powerful internal advocates. The key to success is viewing every account as a connected network of individuals, each with their own priorities, needs, and influence.
Moving from Contacts to Influence Networks
The most effective sales teams go beyond simply collecting contacts - they create detailed influence maps that clearly visualize key players and the relationships that drive decisions within an account. They want to understand who ultimately influences decisions, whether that's through formal authority or informal trust. Today, marketing and sales teams are increasingly relying on sales intelligence and marketing automation platforms that integrate influence mapping to manage this complexity.
The best way to navigate this complex network is through a visual influence map - it clearly illustrates how people are connected and where influence flows. For example, it might reveal a finance contact with a strong relationship to the Head of IT.
Ultimately, influence mapping enables GTM teams to pinpoint who to engage, anticipate potential resistance, and tailor their approach to each stakeholder’s priorities and pain points.
Creating a Tailored Message
When a decision is shared across an organization, a one-size-fits-all pitch doesn’t work. Each stakeholder has their own agenda: the finance team cares about ROI, the IT department is focused on integration and security, and end-users want to know if the product will make their lives easier.
To secure a deal, teams can use influence mapping to create tailored messages for each group. By understanding each stakeholder's unique motivations, teams can build customized pitches that address each person’s specific needs and concerns.
For example, a pitch to the IT team could focus on seamless integration and reliable support. A conversation with the finance team would highlight cost savings and long-term value. By speaking their language, teams build credibility and trust across the whole organization, shifting your company from being seen as a vendor to being seen as a strategic partner that can solve their problems.
Three Steps To Get Started
Effective influence mapping depends on consistent habits and the right tools to help teams stay focused on the full customer ecosystem, following three key steps:
- Identify all contacts early: Don’t rely solely on a primary contact. Use influence mapping proactively to uncover all decision-makers and influencers who could impact the deal before it closes.
- Keep maps current: Roles and priorities evolve. Make it a regular practice - during weekly or monthly account reviews to update your influence map to reflect the latest dynamics.
- Maintain ongoing engagement: Don’t wait until renewal or an upsell opportunity to connect. Build relationships across multiple people and departments over time. Consistent communication uncovers new opportunities and resolves small issues before they grow.
Building Stronger Customer Relationships
Influence mapping empowers GTM teams to close more deals and build a stronger, more resilient business. By cultivating connections across the organization, teams reduce the risk of losing momentum, or even an account, when a key contact departs or roles shift.
It's time to dismantle outdated strategies and embrace a new way of thinking: holistic, network-driven, and built for the future.
