"Smart sales sell more."
Adam Kreek
Founder Built for Hard
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Stop Selling. Start Diagnosing. A Practical Guide to the MEDDIC Sales Framework
posted in Business Coaching
Adam Kreek
For Values-Driven Achievers Who Hate Traditional Sales
Most leaders I coach aren’t natural salespeople.
They’re brilliant operators, builders, coaches, visionaries—hell, even athletes.
But ask them to sell? And suddenly the energy shifts.
They hesitate. They fumble their pitch. Or worse—they overshare their solutions without understanding what the client actually needs.
If that’s you, I get it.
I used to hate sales too. It felt slippery. Manipulative. Like I had to convince someone to give me their money when I could just be “offering value” and letting the work speak for itself.
The problem? That’s not how sales works in high-stakes B2B.
The Truth: Your Sales Process Is Your Values in Action
Let’s reframe sales.
Sales, at its best, is values-driven service. It’s not about coercion. It’s about clarity.
And that’s where MEDDIC comes in—a practical framework that makes your sales process consistent, ethical, and effective. When applied properly, MEDDIC can save you hours of wasted time, protect your energy, and increase your close rate without any extra push.
What is MEDDIC?
MEDDIC is a qualification framework originally developed by Jack Napoli at PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation). It helps complex B2B sales reps stop chasing poor-fit opportunities—and instead focus on deals with real potential.
Here’s what MEDDIC stands for:
- M — Metrics
- E — Economic Buyer
- D — Decision Criteria
- D — Decision Process
- I — Identify Pain
- C — Champion
Let’s unpack what each of these means and how to apply it to your coaching, consulting, training, or keynote business.
1. Metrics: What Is Success Worth to Them?
Don’t start with what you offer. Start with their outcomes.
Ask:
- What metrics matter most to this client or organization?
- How do they define success?
- What’s the cost of inaction?
Example:
If a CEO says, “We need better leadership across the board,” get specific:
- Are they trying to reduce turnover?
- Improve team alignment?
- Increase employee engagement?
- Save money on bad hires?
Tie your work to numbers: 10% less attrition = $100K in savings.
Now you’re not “selling coaching.” You’re helping them make or save real money.
2. Economic Buyer: Who Signs the Cheque?
Be honest—how many times have you pitched a mid-level manager who loved your message, but couldn’t make a decision?
If you’re not speaking with the Economic Buyer (the person who controls the budget), you’re not in a real sales conversation.
Ask:
- Who owns the budget?
- Who has final sign-off?
- Can we include them in the next conversation?
If they can’t say yes, then you're prepping for someone else's pitch meeting. (And you don’t even get to be in the room.)
3. Decision Criteria: What Boxes Must Be Checked?
Too many good sales die in the “we loved your stuff but went with someone else” pile.
Why? You didn’t ask how they’re deciding.
Ask:
- What criteria are you using to choose a speaker/coach/partner?
- Is it track record, cultural fit, format, follow-up support?
- What’s most important in making this a success?
Then, align your offer to their criteria.
If they want “engagement,” show them testimonials and post-event surveys. If they want “lasting change,” talk about your follow-up sprints and habit-building tools.
4. Decision Process: What Steps Do They Follow Internally?
Don’t get stuck in endless email threads. Understand their process.
Ask:
- What does your internal buying process look like?
- Who else needs to be involved?
- What’s the typical timeline for decisions like this?
Knowing their internal steps allows you to guide the process—not just hope for a response.
Remember: ambiguity kills sales. Clarity builds trust.
5. Identify Pain: What’s Hurting Right Now?
No pain = no urgency = no sale.
If there’s no real problem to solve, your solution becomes a “nice to have”—and nice-to-haves don’t close.
Dig deep. Ask questions like:
- What’s the cost of not fixing this?
- What happens if nothing changes in 3–6 months?
- How does this problem affect the team, the brand, or you personally?
Don’t be afraid to ask follow-ups like, “How long has this been going on?”
Or: “Why is it important to solve now?”
You’re not being pushy—you’re being precise.
6. Champion: Who’s Rooting for You on the Inside?
You need someone on the inside who believes in your solution and will advocate for you—even when you're not in the room.
This person should:
- Want the solution you offer
- Have influence (formal or informal)
- Be motivated to help you win
Nurture your champion. Give them tools to advocate for you. Help them build the business case. Bonus points if they say:
“Let me run this up the chain.”
Bringing It All Together
- A MEDDIC-qualified opportunity is one where:
- You know the impact
- You know the buyer
- You know how they’ll decide
- You know the pain
- You have a champion
If you can’t answer those five, it’s probably not a deal—it’s a fantasy.
How to Use MEDDIC Today
Here’s how you can start using this framework immediately:
- Audit your pipeline.
Go through current prospects. Can you answer all six parts of MEDDIC? - Create a MEDDIC Scorecard.
Give each part a 1–5 score. Prioritize the highest scoring opportunities. - Add MEDDIC questions to your discovery calls.
Make them part of your standard flow. - Use it to disqualify early.
Just like rowing: if your boat’s too heavy, it won’t move.
COPY & PASTE THIS PROMPT INTO CHATGPT BEFORE YOUR NEXT SALES CALL:
Final Thought: Stop Hoping, Start Qualifying
Sales isn’t about “getting better at convincing people.”
It’s about finding alignment.
And MEDDIC helps you figure out—fast—whether the alignment is there.
If you value clarity, values-driven impact, and protecting your energy,
then you need a system that qualifies before you commit.
MEDDIC is that system.
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Adam Kreek and his team are on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.
He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.
Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about Kreek’s coaching here.
Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.