By David Balzen
In sales, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is relying on a single-threaded approach—where you engage with just one person at a company and hope they can move the deal forward. This is risky because if that one contact leaves the company, loses interest, or lacks decision-making power, your deal stalls.
This is where multi-threading comes in. Multi-threading is the practice of building relationships with multiple stakeholders within a target company—decision-makers, influencers, and cross-functional team members—so that no single person can make or break your deal.
But here’s the challenge: How do you multi-thread effectively without stepping on your main contact’s toes or making them feel bypassed? Done wrong, it can feel aggressive or even disrespectful. Done right, it builds alignment, increases deal velocity, and makes your solution a priority for the entire buying committee.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to introduce multi-threading early, engage additional stakeholders without undermining your champion, and leverage these relationships to drive deals forward.
Step 1: Introduce Multi-Threading Early in the Sales Process
The worst time to start multi-threading is when a deal is already at risk. If you wait too long, suddenly reaching out to other stakeholders can look suspicious—as if you’re going around your main contact. Instead, set the expectation from the beginning that multiple people will be involved.
1. Normalize Multi-Threading in Your First Call
Instead of waiting until a deal is deep in the pipeline, bring up multi-threading naturally in your first conversation.
Example:
“I know that decisions like this usually involve multiple perspectives. Who else on your team would benefit from being involved early?”
This makes it clear that you’re not looking to go around them—you’re making sure the right people are involved to keep the process smooth.
2. Identify Key Stakeholders Upfront
Before your first meeting, research:
- Decision-makers (VPs, Directors, C-level execs).
- Influencers (Managers, operations teams, IT/security).
- Budget owners (Finance, procurement).
A quick LinkedIn search or a glance at the company’s “Our Team” page can give you clues about who will likely have a say. Then, use this insight to casually ask:
“I noticed that [Name] is involved with [Relevant Initiative]. Would it be helpful to bring them in as we explore this?”
This makes it clear that you’re thinking strategically about how their company makes decisions, rather than just pushing for more introductions.
Step 2: Get Buy-In from Your Champion Without Undermining Them
Your champion is your biggest advocate—but also your biggest gatekeeper. If they feel like you’re bypassing them, they may resist your attempts to multi-thread.
1. Position Multi-Threading as a Way to Help, Not Overstep
Instead of saying, “Can I speak with your CFO?”, frame it as a way to make their life easier:
“I’ve seen finance teams appreciate being involved early—would it help if we connected with them now so there are no surprises later?”
“From your experience, when do legal and IT usually get looped in for decisions like this?”
This way, they feel in control of the process, rather than feeling like you’re working around them.
2. Leverage Your Champion’s Knowledge
No one understands the internal politics of their company better than your champion. Use them as a guide to navigate the organization.
Ask:
- “What’s the best way to engage with [Stakeholder]?”
- “How does your team typically evaluate solutions like this?”
By involving them in the strategy, you reinforce that you’re working with them, not against them.
Step 3: Engage Additional Stakeholders Thoughtfully
Once you have buy-in from your champion, it’s time to start expanding your network within the company. But multi-threading isn’t just about adding names to your CRM—it’s about engaging people in the right way.
1. Create Natural Reasons for New Conversations
Rather than forcing introductions, use value-driven reasons to engage other stakeholders.
Customer Success Hook: “Many teams like to meet our customer success manager early to plan ahead—would that be helpful?”
Technical Review Excuse: “We want to make sure this fits seamlessly into your systems—who on your team would be best to review that?”
ROI & Budgeting Alignment: “I know finance teams typically like to see ROI early—would it make sense to connect with them now?”
By framing these meetings as helpful, not intrusive, it’s easier to get buy-in.
Step 4: Use Multi-Threading to Build Deal Momentum
Multi-threading isn’t just about protecting your deal—it’s about accelerating it. Here’s how:
1. Get Internal Champions on Your Side
Some stakeholders are more influential than their job title suggests. Look for:
- The person who asks insightful questions during calls.
- The stakeholder who shows enthusiasm about your solution.
- The employee who seems to have the trust of leadership.
If you identify one of these internal champions, give them resources to advocate for you internally.
Example:
“I know this is important to you—would it help if I shared a few slides or data points you could bring to your leadership team?”
This way, even when you’re not in the room, your solution is still being championed.
2. Create Shared Accountability
A single-threaded deal can stall when your champion gets distracted or overwhelmed. When multiple stakeholders feel responsible for moving the deal forward, it creates internal momentum.
Use this to your advantage by summarizing cross-team alignment:
“From our discussions, IT sees this as a security improvement, finance is focused on cost savings, and operations is interested in efficiency—how can we align all these priorities?”
“Since this impacts multiple teams, should we bring everyone together for a working session?”This helps you control the deal timeline while reinforcing urgency.
Step 5: Keep Your Champion in the Loop
Even as you expand conversations, your champion should always feel informed and valued.
After meeting a new stakeholder, follow up with your champion:
“I caught up with [Stakeholder] today, and they had great insights about [Topic]. Wanted to loop you in before next steps.”
This keeps them engaged and respected while maintaining transparency.
Final Thoughts: Why Multi-Threading is Non-Negotiable
Multi-threading is about mitigating risk, accelerating deals, and building alignment across teams.
- Start early—normalize involving multiple stakeholders from the first call.
- Work with your champion—position multi-threading as a strategy to help them, not bypass them.
- Engage new stakeholders strategically—frame it as adding value, not creating friction.
- Use multi-threading to create urgency—when multiple teams are involved, momentum increases.
- Keep your champion in the loop—transparency builds trust and long-term relationships.
By implementing a thoughtful multi-threading approach, you’ll protect your deals, reduce delays, and drive stronger results.
How do you approach multi-threading in your sales process? Let’s discuss in the comments!
