Debug 002: How to Sell When Admins Aren’t the Buyers

Hey folks! 👋

Welcome to another edition of Debug, where I answer your growth and go-to-market questions!

In Debug 002 I’m answering a question from a Product leader who’s wrestling with product-led sales in the context of the buyers not being product users.

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DEBUG

Rob is a long time reader and Director of Product at Omnissa, and asks:

Watch the video (5m08s)

Hey Rob, great question - thanks for sending it over!

Expanding your product offering when your administrators aren’t the decision makers can be tricky, but there’s absolutely a path forward with a solid product-led sales strategy.

Here’s how I’d approach it.

First off, administrators may not hold the budget, but they are your champions.

They’re the people feeling the pain, seeing the gaps in their workflow, and benefiting directly from your product.

To make this work, your strategy should empower them to advocate upward for your complementary solutions.

Here are a few practical tactics to make that happen:

1. Surface Expansion Opportunities in Context

Use in-product messaging wisely.

When administrators are using your product and bump into a situation where your complementary solution would be valuable, make it seamless to surface that insight.

For example:

Add contextual nudges, like, “This feature unlocks with <Your Expansion Solution> - here’s how it can help you scale.”

Product dashboards are another great way to highlight gaps.

For instance: “You could save X hours per week by automating this process with Solution Y.”

The key here is framing the complementary product as solving a specific, real problem - one your admins care about and will find it difficult to ignore.

2. Equip Your Champions to Pitch

Admins might not be able to trial your expansion product directly, but they can help you get to the decision-making table if you give them the tools they need to pitch internally.

Provide pre-built internal decks or ROI calculators that they can share with their decision makers.

Keep it simple - show the problem, the solution, and the potential impact.

Offer a 1-pager specifically designed for decision-makers that focuses on outcomes, not features.

The admin is your first line of defence here, so make it easy for them to advocate on your behalf!

3. Involve Decision Makers Earlier (Without Relying on Admins)

Pinpoint key signals that indicate when it’s time to involve someone with purchasing authority. For example:

• Is the admin’s usage spiking?

• Have they started inviting teammates?

• Are they adopting features that typically signal growth or expansion potential?

Define (iterate towards) an appropriate PQA scoring model, and when appropriate thresholds are reached, proactively find the right person to contact.

This might mean using Clearbit, LinkedIn, Clay or other enrichment tools to identify department heads, procurement teams, or budget owners. Then, you can reach out directly - but with a soft touch.

4. Leverage Product Data in Conversations

Lastly, when you finally connect with decision makers, let your product tell the story.

Admin usage data is gold here - it’s your proof that the team is engaged, and value is already being created.

For example, say something like:

"Your team has been using <core product> for 6 months, and adoption has grown by X%. We’ve also noticed they’re doing <specific activity frequently>, which could be even more effective with <complementary solution>."

This approach keeps your pitch grounded in facts and demonstrates real value.

So to sum it all up:

• Use your product to surface expansion opportunities where they make sense.

• Give admins the tools to advocate for your solution internally.

• Identify and involve decision makers yourself when the signals tell you it’s time.

• Always let your data do the heavy lifting in those conversations.

Hope that sparks some ideas to take back to your team!

THAT’S A WRAP

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Until next time!

— Ben