Closing roleplay: the champion who needs to run it by their boss
Alex has loved your product for six weeks. Now, with the proposal in hand, Alex says it has to go to the boss. Get access to the economic buyer and agree on dated next steps before the deal goes quiet.
The buyer
Alex
Head of customer support at a 250-person software company
- The situation
- You've run discovery and a demo and sent a proposal for your quality assurance software last week. Alex has been your main contact throughout. This call was meant to confirm the go-ahead.
- Personality
- Friendly, enthusiastic and conflict-averse. Says yes easily but avoids committing to dates. Worried about looking pushy with their own boss.
Hidden concern (for whoever plays the buyer)
Alex's boss, the COO, hasn't seen the proposal yet, and Alex is nervous about presenting the cost without help. The COO is also weighing a hiring freeze that could pull the budget.
Fictional training scenario. Names, companies and products are invented for practice.
Your goal
Get a meeting with the economic buyer, the COO, and agree on a dated mutual action plan for the decision.
Success looks like
- You found out who signs off and what they care about
- You learned that the COO hasn't seen the proposal, and why
- You offered to help Alex present the case, or to join the meeting
- You agreed at least three dated next steps, including the COO meeting
The opening line
"So, good news and bad news. We all love it, but I need to run it by my boss before we can sign."
Alex, head of customer support at a 250-person software company
How a strong start sounds
An illustrative script for the first exchange. Say it in your own words; the point is the shape of the reply, not the exact lines.
- Alex
So, good news and bad news. We all love it, but I need to run it by my boss before we can sign.
- You
That makes sense, and thanks for telling me now. Can I ask how she usually looks at a purchase like this? What will she want to know first?
- Alex
Cost, mostly. And whether we really need it right now.
- You
That's helpful. Would it be easier if we put together a one-page cost case together, and then had twenty minutes with her so you're not answering every question alone?
Curveballs to expect
Alex won't make it easy. Be ready for these.
- "I'd rather present it to her myself. She doesn't like vendor meetings."
- "Can you just send me a one-pager I can forward?"
- "Let's touch base after the quarter."
- If you ask about timing, Alex mentions a possible hiring freeze.
Scorecard
What a reviewer, or your own replay, should listen for. The criteria lean on MEDDIC and MEDDPICC.
| Criterion | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Staying calm | Treats the stall as normal and asks about it with curiosity rather than pushing for a signature. |
| Mapping the decision | Learns who the economic buyer is, what they care about and how they've approved similar purchases. |
| Equipping the champion | Offers specific help, such as a short business case or a joint meeting, that makes Alex look good to the COO. |
| Access to the economic buyer | Asks directly for a short meeting with the COO and gives a reason it helps Alex. |
| Dated plan | Builds a mutual action plan with owners and dates, working back from Alex's target go-live date. |
Want to score real calls the same way? Use the free sales call scorecard template.
To run this exact persona, rebuild it in the scenario builder (Starter plan and up), or run it with a colleague.
The AI buyer plays Alex only. This scenario practices the conversation that gets you into the room with the economic buyer, not the meeting itself.
Questions about this scenario
What does this closing roleplay practice?
Handling the 'I need to run it by my boss' stall: mapping the decision, equipping your champion and getting a meeting with the economic buyer.
What's a mutual action plan?
A shared, dated list of steps that both sides agree to take to reach a decision, with an owner for each step.
Does the AI play the boss too?
No. One AI buyer plays Alex. To rehearse the meeting with the COO, build a finance-focused persona with the scenario builder (Starter plan and up) and run it as a second practice call.
Objections in this scenario
Scripts and methods
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Run it until it feels easy
Practice conversations like this one against an AI buyer and get every attempt scored. 250 free credits, no card.