Only 2% of Startups can Challenge.

Challenger is a commercial methodology.

When implemented it enables the same sales team to win at least 2X more deals.

Yet only 30% of sales leaders attempt to implement Challenger.

And only 2% do so successfully.

Beyond simply misunderstanding Challenger, startups struggle to implement it because it is difficult.

It only works when implemented fully. And doing so is difficult even when you fully understand it.

Hurdle 1: you need a cross-function shift.

Since Challenger is a commercial strategy, it requires the buy-in of the whole startup.

It requires support and transformation of every department. Not just sales.

You can't expects sales to generate their own insight.

Challenger is an organizational capability.

And your whole startup needs to be commercially ready to develop it.

Hurdle 2: the standards are higher than ever.

Challenger requires the best commercial insight. 

But the standard of insight has increased greatly in recent years. 

We are living through the "Smartness" arms race.

Startups implementing Challenger need to cut through the noise.

They need to up their content game.

To produce the most hard-hitting, impactful, provocative and frame-breaking insight.

Being the "smartest" is harder than ever.

But being "dumb" is not an option...

Hurdle 3: dealing with overwhelmed buyers.

The buyers have too much on their plate.

There is more information and more choice than ever before.

They are getting lost. Which makes them indecisive.

The problem of overwhelmed buyers will only get worse.

Startups implementing Challenger must figure out how to work with that.

To figure out how to enable their sales teams to support the buyer better.

Dealing with the new kind of buyer.

While the principles behind Challenger remain unchanged.

How startups implement Challenger has evolved.

In the new buying climate, it is not enough to simply challenge the buyer's thinking.

You also need to help them create a new frame of reference.

Selling is no longer purely about breaking frames. But also making them.

Startups must enable their buyers to work through all information.

And help them design frameworks to reach conclusions.

Creating infrastructure to sell change.

Challenger enables startups to overcome the buyer's natural resistance to change.

And win at least 2X more deals.

But implementing Challenger is difficult. And has only gotten harder.

Startups need guidance and support.

A way to develop cross-functional capability to sell change to every buyer.