What is Blocker?
Blocker is a core concept in modern B2B revenue. Here is a clear, accurate definition, why it matters, and how Ardovo handles it.
Short answer
A blocker is a person in the buying organization who actively opposes your deal. They may prefer a competitor, distrust change, feel threatened by the solution, or have been overlooked. Unlike a neutral gatekeeper, a blocker works against you. Identifying and neutralizing blockers early is key to keeping a deal alive.
Key takeaways
- Actively opposes your deal.
- Motives include competitor loyalty, fear of change, or feeling threatened.
- A single blocker can stall or kill a deal.
- Neutralizing them, often via a champion, protects the deal.
Why it matters
In a consensus decision, one determined blocker can veto or delay indefinitely, even against broad support. Ignoring a blocker rarely works; reps must defuse the underlying concern or route around them through a champion and the economic buyer.
How Ardovo handles it
Ardovo lets you flag blockers in the buying committee and record their objections. Rook highlights a deal with an unresolved blocker so it is not committed on false optimism, and helps map a path to neutralize the opposition.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a blocker and a gatekeeper?
A gatekeeper controls access and is usually neutral. A blocker actively opposes your deal. You get through a gatekeeper respectfully; you must neutralize or work around a blocker.
How do you deal with a blocker?
Identify them early, understand the underlying concern, and address it directly where possible. Where you cannot win them over, use a champion and the economic buyer to build support around them.