What is a Product Champion?
Explore how keeping track of product champions helps drive pipeline
You know that one person who won’t stop raving about their favorite app or tool, not because they have to, but because they genuinely love it?
That’s a product champion.
In the world of sales and growth, product champions are pure gold.
They’re more than just loyal users. They’re enthusiastic promoters, vocal advocates, and internal influencers who help others see the value in what you offer.
And thanks to AI prospecting tools like AiSDR, identifying and tracking these champions in 2025 isn’t a hopeless quest for the holy grail.
It’s science.
Here’s a deeper look at who product champions are, why they’re so critical for growth, and how AI tools can help you track, engage, and retain them.
Who is a Product Champion?
While every product champion is a happy user by definition, they are so much more.
They’re the people cheering you on from the rooftops about how great your product is, both inside and outside their company. They:
- Pay attention to every update
- Adopt new features quickly
- Recommend your solution to colleagues and peers
- Show usage patterns that scream All in!
You might not see “influencer” in their title, but their impact is real. And measurable.
Whether they’re shouting you out on LinkedIn or testing beta features before anyone else, their enthusiasm drives momentum.
And the beauty of it? Their engagement isn’t random or one-off. It’s intentional and powerful.
How data and AI work together to surface product champions
In the past, you had to rely on gut instinct or lucky feedback to find your champions.
Now, it’s all about tracking signals:
- How often are they logging in?
- How long are they using your solution per session?
- Are they exploring new features?
- What does their support history look like?
- Are they mentioning you on social media?
- Have they recently changed jobs or received a promotion?
AI platforms like AiSDR pull all these intent insights together, offering you the full picture. Not just a basic usage report.
And this delivers you smarter, faster champion identification at scale.
Why is nurturing product champions important?
Finding product champions is just step one.
So once you’ve found your champions, don’t just wave and walk away.
Nurturing them unlocks their full potential and opens doors to bigger, more sustainable organic growth and retention.
And with AI-powered cold outreach, you can tailor messages, deliver timely updates, and offer insights that actually matter to them.
Power of word-of-mouth
People trust people. Not ads.
A recommendation from a friend or colleague beats a flashy viral ad any day.
When your champions talk, others listen. And this honest buzz is the marketing magic you can’t buy.
Ideal testing ground
Your champions want your product to win.
That’s why they’re your perfect beta testers for new features.
Feedback from a product champion is thoughtful, their insights are real, and they’re rooting for you.
Internal expansion (especially in B2B)
In B2B, having a product champion inside a company can snowball into wider adoption.
One team uses it, then another, then another. And before you know it, it’s used by the entire company.
Sometimes, it can even spread to partner companies.
Imagine:
- A sales manager drives more pipeline with your solution.
- They show it to marketing and customer success.
- Adoption spreads across the company, turning the tool into a staple.
- And if that manager changes companies, they take you with them.
One champion today could mean two companies tomorrow.
Competitor intelligence
Champions are market-savvy.
They’ve probably seen competitor pitches and tried rival products in the past, making them invaluable sources of insight into:
- What others lack
- Why your product wins
- What to double down on next
How product champions drive growth across the organization
User stories from real champions have power.
In a world full of polished marketing claims, authentic user narratives stand out. They don’t just tell people your product works. They prove it. They connect emotionally, provide social proof, and build trust.
You just need to learn how to leverage them.
Capturing authentic user narratives
You should start by collecting and sharing champion stories that go beyond generic testimonials.
Sales, marketing, and customer success teams should work together, as cross-functional cooperation here is key.
It’s not just about getting a quote. It’s about sharing stories of real people solving real problems to get real results.
Put those user stories to work
Once you’ve captured champion stories, plug them into your full GTM strategy:
- Train sales teams using actual success stories
- Give your pitches and sales demos a human edge
- Measure how narrative-driven strategies impact results
- Create feedback loops between sales, champions, and product teams
TL;DR: Turn real stories into real strategy. Make success contagious across every team. Build every team, from sales to product, into the loop.
How AI helps you retain product champions who’ve changed jobs
Job changes are a dead end.
They’re fresh opportunities.
When someone who loves your product joins a new company, their next team could be your next customer.
And if they’ve jumped into a whole new industry? That’s your foot in the door to a brand-new market.
The trick is simple: Don’t lose touch.
Keep tabs on where your champions land, stay connected, and reach out when the timing feels right. A little love goes a long way and can turn one happy user into a chain reaction of new opportunities.
Validate the need
Job switches often signal openness to new tools.
Layer in intent signals to see if their new company is already in the market. That way, your message lands at just the right time.
Personalize outreach and build trust
Don’t just drop a generic “Congrats on the new role” email.
Personalize it:
- Mention your shared history
- Introduce new features
- Offer a specific value (not just another pitch)
AiSDR helps automate this by analyzing past interactions and tailoring micro-campaigns to hit the mark.
Show your gratitude to loyal champions
Recognition builds loyalty. And even a small gesture can make a big impact.
Whether it’s early access to a new feature, a personalized thank-you, or a fun surprise gift, showing appreciation keeps champions in your corner – and talking about your product.
How AiSDR helps track product champions who’ve switched jobs
When your champion changes jobs, AiSDR makes it easy to keep up:
- Set Sales Navigator as your lead generation source
- Upload a list of current/former customers to let AI know which past companies to target
- Enable the job change filter
Done.
Now you’re targeting past fans in new roles with perfect timing.
Stay connected. Stay relevant. Turn career changes into fresh wins.
