Taking MEDDICC from Theory to Practice

What is the purpose of this post??

In my 15+ years as a revenue leader, I’ve witnessed numerous organizations eagerly adopt MEDDICC (aka MEDDPICC) as their primary sales methodology, only to see it languish as a mere seven (or eight) letter acronym, detached from real-world deals. The frustration stemming from this disconnect prompted me to delve deeper into the root causes and seek solutions. The focus of this post isn't to cover the basics of the MEDDICC methodology itself, but rather to offer practical insights on how to drive stronger adoption of this methodology within your sales organization. Drawing from my own experiences in improving MEDDICC adoption, my aim is to provide actionable and practical advice that you can put to play without too much effort. When implemented effectively, MEDDICC serves as a powerful tool for increasing deal win rates and refining forecasting accuracy so it's deffinitely worthwhile to invest in utilizing it properly. Let's dive in and explore strategies to unlock its full potential.

Let's Start with a Brief Recap of MEDDICC

In the dynamic and complex landscape of enterprise sales, methodologies that drive clarity, consistency and accountability are the cornerstone of building a successful and scalable sales organization. Over the years, numerous sales methodologies have been introduced for properly qualifying and managing enterprise deals but the one that I have found to be the most effective, when used the right way and when fully adopted by the sales team, is MEDDICC. I was first introduced to MEDDICC 15 years ago by a manager and mentor of mine, Jim Dicso, who picked it up at PTC, where it was incepted by Dick Dunkel, John McMahon and Jack Napoli who are considered the godfathers of MEDDICC. It originated from Dunkel's analysis of the reasons behind why deals were won, lost or slipped, identifying six key commonalities. These insights formed the acronym MEDDIC, which later on evolved to MEDDICC and MEDDPICC.??

To recap, MEDDICC stands fo Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion, and Competition. The ‘P’ that has been added over time stands for Paper Process, which essentially helps capture the contractual/legal process and signatory sequence for getting the deal signed. Each of these components plays an important role in bringing a deal to the finish line and by managing them in a systematic and well orchestrated way, you de-risk your deals and significantly improve your likelihood to close. The MEDDICC methodology has transformed countless organizations by instilling a common language and approach, fostering a culture of rigorous opportunity qualification that leads to accurate forecasting and proper resource allocation.?

The Challenge: Why MEDDICC Adoption Stumbles Post-Launch

Many of you may find the scenario described below all too familiar: MEDDICC is introduced with great enthusiasm by the VP of Sales at the annual kickoff event. Initial excitement runs high as everyone anticipates how this new methodology will elevate their deal-closing capabilities. However, this enthusiasm quickly wanes as MEDDICC becomes relegated to a mere checkbox exercise, confined to the auditorium of the kickoff event. Despite the VP's proud assertions of its adoption, the reality sets in as complexity, lack of reinforcement, and perceived administrative burdens hinder its integration. Reps see MEDDICC as a bureaucratic chore rather than a strategic asset, while sales leaders struggle to embed it into daily operations.?

Solution for Driving MEDDICC Adoption: Strategy Meets Execution

From my experience, to ensure MEDDICC becomes an inherent part of your sales DNA, several steps must be taken:

1. AE’s must systematically ask a set of questions around each component to ensure they have a strong grip of each one.?
2. Sales leaders must adopt MEDDICC as a second language and lead by example.?
3. The MEDDICC framework must be embedded into your CRM to make it easy and intuitive for AE’s to manage.?
4. A dynamic MEDDICC grade must be given to each opportunity to reflect its level of qualification and health.?

1.Asking the Right Questions

Educate your team to ask incisive questions that get to the heart of each MEDDICC component. Encourage curiosity and thoroughness. As an example, the first C is not just about identifying a champion; it's about understanding and testing the champion's ability to influence and sell for you when you are not there. Create a list of the 2-3 mandatory questions that must be asked around each component and grade each component according to the answers on a 3 point scale. This will allow you to gauge the level of development for each component at any given time. (A separate post will soon be written on this topic, providing specific questions that can be asked).

2. Sales Leaders as MEDDICC Champions

Leadership's commitment to MEDDICC should be unwavering, integrating it seamlessly into every sales conversation and pipeline review. Celebrate instances where MEDDICC provided valuable insights that helped close a deal, and conversely, use it constructively to dissect lost or stalled opportunities. Consistency is key; the more rigorously MEDDICC is enforced, the more likely it becomes second nature for Account Executives to complete it for each opportunity. Do not start a pipeline review before MEDDICC is updated for each active opportunity. If you are a leader and you fail to analyze deals through the MEDDICC lens and adopt it as a second language, you can be sure your team will follow suit.?

3. Embedding? MEDDICC in Your CRM

Embedding the MEDDICC framework? into your opportunity records within your CRM is key to ensuring easy tracking, updating, and ongoing management.Make updating the MEDDICC components in your CRM a simple and intuitive process and build it in a structured fashion that allows to assign a grade to each component based on progress and input. This will ultimately allow you to reach an objective MEDDICC grade for each opportunity, which can be used? as a predictor for deal closure. You can also tie MEDDICC progress to your sales stages, setting firm MEDDICC exit criteria that are required to be met in order to advance to the following deal stage. This can and should be streamlined in your CRM.?

4. Grading Opportunities by MEDDICC ProgressImplement a visual representation of MEDDICC progress for every deal based on progression of the overall MEDDICC grade.. This real-time view empowers both reps and managers to swiftly pinpoint areas needing focus, ensuring continuous progress. The MEDDICC grade provides an objective assessment of the opportunity's health, enabling? alignment on actionable plans between you and your rep.?

Conclusion

The journey from MEDDICC introduction to an ingrained practice that is second nature to you and your entire Sales organization is fraught iwth challenges but with the right approach, it is entirely surmountable. By focussing on education, reinforcement, practical CRM integration and a dynamic grading system, your organization can realize the full benefits of MEDDICC, improving sales forcasting, win rates and overall motivation across your Sales team.

Remember, MEDDICC is more than a methodology, it's a mindset that when adopted, can drive your sales force to unprecedented levels of clarity, efficiency, and success.

If you are in the process of implementing MEDDICC and would like to learn more about the techniques I've used to drive high adoption, feel free to DM me. If you are already using MEDDICC and have additional tips to share, please post them here so we can all learn from them.

In my next post, I will address how AI can be leveraged to even further streamline MEDDICC. Stay tuned.