Why Your B2B Sales Deals Are Stalled - And How to Fix Them

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, it's crucial to ensure your sales pipeline is healthier than ever. This blog focuses on understanding why your deals might be stalled and how you can get them moving again. Are those deals sitting idly in your pipeline? Wondering if you'll hit your end-of-year targets? You're not alone. We’ve got some key insights to get your pipeline thriving. Can't wait? Skip to the action items at the end. Need immediate advice? Book a quick 15-minute chat.

Why B2B Sales Deals Are Stalled - And How to Fix Them

As a B2B sales professional, especially in financial services and SaaS, you know the pressure of hitting your quota. Deals are often stalled for a variety of reasons, but understanding and diagnosing these issues is the first step toward clearing your pipeline and closing more deals.

The Importance of Addressing Stalled Deals

First, let's get real. Have you ever felt anxious about hitting your sales targets? Maybe you’re told not to worry because the deals in your pipeline will surely close. But look at those deals closely: have some of them been there since last year? The truth is, December is a tough time to sell. People are distracted by holidays and fiscal year-ends, making it hard to get them to commit.

Did you know that last year, 56% of B2B companies missed their revenue targets? We’re going to make sure you're not part of that statistic. Let's break down some common reasons why deals get stuck in the first place.

Reasons Deals Get Stalled:

1. Surface-Level Qualification: Sometimes deals get stuck simply because they weren’t properly qualified from the start. The challenge identified might not be urgent enough, or the prospect just doesn’t care enough to move forward.

2. Lack of Budget or Resources: The prospect might love your solution but lack the budget or resources. Understanding their financial timeline is crucial to avoid being strung along.

3. Talking to the Wrong People: If you're dealing with gatekeepers or mid-level managers who can’t push the deal forward, you need to find the real decision-makers.

4. Passing Curiosity vs. Real Interest: Some prospects are just browsing. They might be using you to get a better deal from their current supplier.

5. Misaligned Timelines: If the prospect’s implementation timeline doesn’t match your end-of-year goals, you’re in for a rough ride.

Diagnosing Stalled Deals

Here's your checkup:

1. Revisit Your Discovery Process: Go back to your initial discovery calls. Did you dig deep enough to uncover real challenges?

2. Check for Internal Champions: Who are you talking to? Ensure there's an internal champion invested in solving the problem.

3. Assess Timing and Resources: Is the client ready to move now? If their budget isn't lined up, refocus your efforts.

4. Interest Level: Has the prospect gone dark? If they're not responding, it might be time to remove them.

Fixing Stalled Deals

Here are your strategies:

1. Re-engage with New Insights: Sometimes, all it takes is bringing something new to the table to reignite interest.

2. Use AI to Get Unstuck: Tools like ChatGPT can provide follow-up tactics to reengage your prospects.

3. Re-qualify the Deal: Don’t be afraid to re-qualify. Business priorities shift, and you need to stay informed.

4. Address Decision-Maker Issues: Politely ask your contact if there's anyone else who should be involved in the decision-making process.

5. Build Urgency with Timelines: Create a professional timeline that aligns with your prospect’s goals without being pushy.

6. Disqualify if Necessary: If a deal isn’t going anywhere, it’s okay to let it go. Send a “Hail Mary” email and see if that gets a response.

Action Steps:

• Evaluate each active prospect

  : Determine if they meet the criteria above.

• Disqualify or deprioritize

  : Remove those that don’t pass the test.

• Focus on serious buyers

  : Remember, your time is precious—spend it on those ready to move forward.

Success Story

I once worked with a client who scrutinized their pipeline ruthlessly. Initially, the sales team felt anxious about the reduced size of their pipeline. However, with fewer prospects in the pipeline, their time was freed up to pursue more new business and work with partners. Long story short, they beat their sales goals. The following year, they doubled their sales figures, all without adding more salespeople. Quality over quantity works.

Need Help?

Feeling overwhelmed? I offer coaching sessions to walk you through this process. Let's get your pipeline healthy and thriving. Book a quick chat to see if I can lend a hand.

What's Next?

Next week, we’ll dig into strategies and tactics for following up with the deals you’ve deprioritized. You won't want to miss this, so subscribe now. Share this post with your fellow B2B sales professionals—every bit of help counts.

AI Transparency: This blog was generated by an AI tool, CastMagic, which uses my podcast feed to generate other content for me. My podcast scripts are written by me, although I sometimes get ideas by brainstorming with an AI model. CastMagic helps me get more done with less. Both images are AI-generated.

Rise of Us is a practice run by Summer Poletti, specializing in revenue growth for financial services and SaaS companies between $2MM - $20MM ARR. We focus on strategy, coaching, and organizational alignment to guide you through your next stage of growth.