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The Art of the "Unlikely" Close: What Running Point Taught Us About Data

Stop relying on the perfect pitch. Discover how structural discipline, hard data, and targeting the right decision-maker can turn an "unlikely" prospect into an inevitable close.

5/20/20262 min read

While Season 2 of Running Point is currently giving us plenty to talk about, the real masterclass in sales strategy happened in Season 1.

The challenge was a marketer’s nightmare: The head honcho of The Waves needed to close Sephora as a sponsor. On paper, it was a total mismatch. Why would a premium feminine brand want to be the face of a testosterone-filled basketball program?

Most people would have tried to "sell" the prestige of the league. Instead, they used Data.

Data vs. Perception

In my 30 years of marketing, I’ve seen many great deals die because the "Promotion" didn't match the "Product." But as I always say: landing accounts is easier when you do the prep work first.

The pitch to Sephora wasn't just a "vibe." It was a clinical breakdown of the numbers:

The Target Market: Proving that the basketball audience wasn't just men; it was the women in those men's lives, or women who were fans of the sport themselves.

The ROI: Identifying a massive, untapped "white space" where Sephora’s competitors weren't looking.

Landing the Account Through "The 4 Ps"

This wasn't a lucky break; it was the Structural Preparation of a seasoned pro:

1. Product Relevance: Making a sports franchise relevant to a feminine brand by highlighting specific consumer demographics.

2. Price & Value: Proving that a premium brand belongs where the eyes are—not just where the stereotypes say they should be.

3. Place (The Landing): Finding the right "Place" (the boardroom) and the right person (the President) to make the transaction happen.

The Law of Large Numbers (Targeting)

Landing an account requires talking to the right people. If this had been pitched to a lower-level manager, it might have been rejected for "not fitting the brand guidelines." By going to the top with hard data, they bypassed the noise and closed the deal.

The LEADGR Insight: Don't Pitch, Prove.

Whether you are a Hollywood mogul or a boutique consultant, the lesson from Season 1 remains the gold standard: If you want to close a tough account, stop talking about how good you are and start showing them how much you know about their bottom line.

Structural discipline means doing the math before you open your mouth. When you have the data, the "unlikely" close becomes an inevitable one.

Are you relying on your "pitch" or your "preparation"? In the world of high-stakes sales, data is the ultimate closer.

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