Module 3.3: The Seven Types of Connectors

Note: This module includes a short multiple-choice question You’ll find the question at the top of this transcript and the correct answer at the very bottom. Read through the module first before scrolling down for the answer!

Question:

6. What best describes a Connector in the Go-to-Network framework?

           A) Someone who manages sales sequences and cold outreach

           B) A person in your network who knows and trusts you and can open doors to your ICP

           C) Any LinkedIn influencer with more than 10,000 followers

           D) Only existing customers who can provide referrals

Transcript:

What is a connector?

A connector is someone who already knows and trusts you and has access to the people you want to reach. They may not be customers. They may not work in sales. And they’re not always obvious. But they’re the people who can open doors, make introductions, vouch for you in a Slack DM, bring your name up in a meeting, or contact someone on your behalf.

Most importantly, they’re already in your network, you just haven’t activated them yet.

But here’s the catch: connectors need double-sided warmth.

A common mistake sellers make is thinking that if someone is connected to their target, all they need to do is ask for the intro. But if that connector doesn’t actually know you well, why would they put their reputation on the line?

It happens to me all the time. Someone will message, “Hey Mac, I saw you’re connected to Katrina. Can you make an intro?” Sure, I know Katrina really well. But if I don’t know the person asking, I’m not going to use my social capital to connect them.

So, how do you identify the right connectors? We use a framework with seven types:

1. Employee Connectors
These are your coworkers, past and present. They’re often the easiest to activate because they already share your goal: growing the company.

The nuance is in which coworkers you ask. Focus on the ones your ICP would naturally interact with. If you sell to CTOs, your engineers probably know and have credibility with other CTOs. If you sell to CMOs, start with your marketing team.

Try running a GTN “power hour” with your sales team. Instead of power dialing, spend an hour mapping out who your company already knows at your top accounts. You’ll be surprised how many warm paths you can uncover without leaving Slack (or Teams, if that’s your reality).

2. Champion Connectors
These are your best customers, the power users and vocal fans who say things like, “I wish more people knew about this.”

They’ve seen the value firsthand, and they’ll often explain it better than you ever could. Look for high usage, feature requests, reviews, and customers who say, “Let me know how I can help.”

Give them something simple: “You’ve been such a great partner. Is there anyone else you think would benefit from this?” Keep it personal, make it easy, and when possible, reward them through a referral program.

3. Fan Connectors
Fans aren’t customers, but they believe in you or your company. They might be friends, peers, or people who just love your brand (sometimes even just because you’ve got a dinosaur logo).

They’re often the ones hyping your posts, sliding into your DMs asking how they can help, or cheering you on from the sidelines. Your job is to have an answer ready.

Fans make great early participants in referral or intro programs because they don’t need deep product knowledge, just belief in your mission.

4. Influencer Connectors
Not Instagram influencers. In B2B, influencers are people with sway over your ICP.

They might run communities your ICP belongs to, sell a different product to the same audience, or have a strong presence on LinkedIn with connections to hundreds or thousands of your buyers.

They already have what cold outreach struggles to get: visibility and trust. Partner with them, create referral relationships that feel authentic, and most importantly, make sure they’ve actually used your product. Nothing kills trust faster than an influencer promoting something they clearly don’t understand.

5. Formal Partners
These are companies or individuals with complementary products, missions, or audiences. You’re not competing, you’re aligned.

Think agencies, consultants, or software partners who serve the same ICP. Look for overlap, then ask: “How can we work together to help each other win more deals?”

It’s essentially a co-sell motion that’s sitting right in front of you.

6. Investor Connectors
Investors didn’t just give you money. They gave you access.

They know executives across their portfolio and beyond, often your exact ICP. They’re on boards, they hold influence, and they are literally invested in your success.

Make it a habit to involve them. In board meetings, review not just ARR but GTN opportunities. In monthly investor updates, include a list of accounts they might be able to help with.

If you’re not a founder, talk to your leadership team about how you can tap into investor networks. This is one of the most underutilized assets in most companies.

7. Advisors
Advisors bring two things: industry knowledge and industry networks. Don’t just use them for strategy, use them for access.

Frame it simply: “You’ve seen how we’re growing. You understand the product. Is there anyone in your network I should meet?”

Advisors succeed when you succeed, and introductions are one of the easiest ways they can create impact. You can even formalize it, building expectations for a few intros per quarter directly into the advisory agreement.

The bottom line: you don’t need to build a network from scratch. You need to activate the one that already surrounds you.

Even if your company is only 10 or 20 people, the extended network is far larger than you think. These connectors aren’t hypothetical. They’re in your orbit right now, waiting for a nudge, a clear ask, or a reason to step in.

Answer:

6) B

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