The FRIENDS framework is a stakeholder mapping tool for complex B2B deals, covering the Final approver, Recommender, IT, Economic buyer, Naysayers, Direct users, and Signers. For each stakeholder you need to know who they are, whether you have a direct connection to them, and what their sentiment toward your initiative is, because a typical B2B purchase involves six to twenty people and missing any group can quietly kill a deal.
Most deals are lost to people you never talked to
Between six and twenty people are typically involved in a B2B purchase once you count stakeholders. Most sellers only speak with one or two of them, which means they're missing critical information, and often critical objections, without knowing it.
The FRIENDS acronym is a way to map who those people actually are, because the goal is to make friends and make business at the same time.
The seven roles in FRIENDS
F: Final approver
The decision maker who says yes, possibly the signer on the order form. For this person, and every role in the framework, answer three questions: do you know who they are, do you have a direct connection to them, and what is their sentiment toward the deal. Positive sentiment is non-negotiable. You can know the person and have a connection, but if their sentiment is negative, the deal goes nowhere.
R: Recommender
The person who recommends moving forward, usually someone you've already built relationship and trust with. Their sentiment needs to be more than positive, it needs to be strong, because champions often fear that recommending the wrong decision could backfire on their career.
I: IT
Almost every deal today has a technology element, whether you're selling technology directly or not. That could be an architect, a developer, or a CIO-level role. If your solution touches the client's tech stack, understanding and building connection with this person becomes critical.
E: Economic buyer
The person who controls the budget. Don't assume this is the same person as the final approver. A CFO might sign the paperwork, but the director of the department holding the budget is often the real economic buyer. Same three questions apply: who they are, your connection, and their sentiment.
N: Naysayers
The people actively against your project. They might have a competing initiative, be fighting for the same budget, or see your solution as a threat to their role or team. If a naysayer holds real political power, they can sink a deal even when the recommender, IT, and economic buyer are all supportive. You need to know who they are and either build a connection or arm your recommender to counter their arguments.
D: Direct users
The people who will actually use what you're selling. They increasingly have a say in how they want to work and what they need. Understand their bottlenecks and challenges to build sentiment and connection with them.
S: Signers
Distinct from the final approver and economic buyer. If you're selling to a marketing team, the marketing manager might be the economic buyer and the CMO the final approver, but the actual signers could be the CFO and CIO. Map them separately.
How to actually use the map
In practice, your recommender is the hub. If you're close to the recommender, equip them with what they need to influence the rest: the ROI numbers and strategic impact to bring to the economic buyer, the architecture benefits to bring to IT, and the counter-arguments to neutralize the naysayers.
Don't start with direct users. Bring them in during a second phase, but treat the relationship as bidirectional once you do, mapping their needs rather than just informing them.
For signers, check whether there's a formal signing process or legal requirements so the deal doesn't stall at the finish line.
Build the map for every deal
For every opportunity, map all seven roles: who is the final approver, who is the recommender, is there IT involvement and who, who is the economic buyer, who are the naysayers and what are they saying, who are the direct users, and who are the signers. A simple spreadsheet works fine for tracking this across your opportunities.
Frequently asked questions
What does the FRIENDS acronym stand for in stakeholder mapping?
Final approver, Recommender, IT, Economic buyer, Naysayers, Direct users, and Signers. It's a framework for mapping every stakeholder involved in a complex B2B deal.
How many people are typically involved in a B2B purchase?
Between six and twenty people, once you account for stakeholders across departments. Most sellers only talk to one or two of them, which means they miss critical information and objections.
Is the final approver the same as the economic buyer?
Not always. The final approver, such as a CFO, might sign the paperwork, but the economic buyer, often a department director, is the one who actually controls and allocates the budget. Treat them as separate roles in your stakeholder map.
What three questions should you answer for each stakeholder?
Do you know who this person is, do you have a direct connection to them, and what is their sentiment toward your initiative. Positive sentiment is essential; without it, even a known contact with a personal connection can stall the deal.
Why are naysayers important to identify in a deal?
Naysayers actively oppose your project, often because of competing initiatives, budget conflicts, or a threat to their role. If they hold political power, they can sink a deal even when your recommender, IT, and economic buyer are all supportive, so you need to identify them and either build a connection or equip your recommender to counter their arguments.