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How do you handle pipeline leakage and stalled deals?

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Pipeline leakage and stalled deals are two common challenges for salespeople and sales managers. They can reduce your revenue, waste your time, and damage your reputation. But how can you prevent them from happening, or deal with them effectively when they do? In this article, we'll share some tips and best practices to help you manage your sales pipeline and keep your deals moving forward.

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1 What is pipeline leakage and why does it matter?

Pipeline leakage is when prospects drop out of your sales funnel at any stage, either by choosing a competitor, losing interest, or facing a change in their situation. It matters because it means you're losing potential customers and revenue, and you're spending more resources on acquiring new leads than closing existing ones. Pipeline leakage can also affect your sales forecasting, your team morale, and your customer satisfaction.

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Barry Whitmore

U. S. Army Vietnam Veteran & Johnson Controls employee
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Know what your customer needs and how much they have budgeted. Without a budget and knowledge of what they want you are setting yourself up for failure and a lost customer.

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2 What are the causes of pipeline leakage?

Pipeline leakage can be caused by several factors, such as poor lead qualification, lack of follow-up, weak value proposition, and no clear next steps. Inadequate lead qualification involves not targeting the right prospects or verifying their needs, budget, authority, and timeline. Additionally, insufficient follow-up can occur when not communicating with prospects regularly, providing value, or addressing their objections. Furthermore, a weak value proposition happens when not differentiating your solution from the competition or demonstrating how it can solve your prospect's pain points. Lastly, no clear next steps can happen when not setting clear expectations, milestones, or deadlines for prospects to move forward in the sales process.

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Hilton McCall

Fraud Fighter -- I help digital platforms Eliminate Fake Accounts & Stop Fraud ?? ??
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In my opinion deals stall for 2 primary reasons: 1) Your client has not told you why/how your solution is going to solve their problem - this indicates the value prop was understood and you have done the necessary in the sales process. 2) An unknown internal reason at the client or your contact directly - Often you have done step one correctly but their is "something" you cannot influence or control that has stalled the deal. If 2 is true, then the task becomes uncovering the "something" through deeper investigation with multiple stakeholders to understand where the lack of influence originates.

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3 How can you prevent pipeline leakage?

To prevent pipeline leakage, it is essential to have a clear and consistent sales process that aligns with your buyer's journey. To improve your process and reduce leakage, you should define your ideal customer profile to qualify leads and prioritize opportunities. Additionally, use a CRM system to track and manage sales activities, contacts, and deals. Make sure to follow up with prospects promptly and frequently through multiple channels with personalized messages. Develop rapport by asking open-ended questions, listening to their needs, and providing value-added content. Highlight your unique value proposition and how it can help your prospect achieve their goals. It is also important to confirm their interest, urgency, and decision-making criteria at each stage of the sales cycle. Lastly, make sure you have a clear next step for your prospect to take and confirm it both verbally and in writing.

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4 What is a stalled deal and why does it happen?

A stalled deal is when a prospect who was previously engaged and interested in your solution stops responding or delays their decision, due to a lack of urgency, alignment, or commitment from them or their organization. This can be caused by competing priorities, budget constraints, multiple stakeholders with different opinions, or risk aversion. For instance, the prospect may have other issues or projects that take precedence over your solution; they may not have the funds or approval to purchase it; they may not be the sole or final decision-maker; or they may be hesitant or fearful of making a change.

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5 How can you revive a stalled deal?

To revive a stalled deal, the first step is to identify the root cause of the delay and address it accordingly. To re-engage your prospect and move them closer to a decision, you can reach out via phone, email, or social media. Ask if anything has changed since your last conversation and validate their needs. Reinforce how your solution can help solve their problems and demonstrate the results they can expect. If there are budget or approval issues, try to offer incentives or discounts while maintaining your value and margins. If the prospect isn't the only decision-maker, get in touch with other influencers or stakeholders and get their buy-in. Lastly, remind your prospect of the cost of inaction or risk of missing out to create a sense of urgency and motivate them to act.

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6 How can you avoid stalled deals in the future?

To prevent stalled deals in the future, it's important to qualify prospects thoroughly and early on in the sales process, and weed out those who are not ready, willing, or able to buy. Establishing rapport and trust with prospects is also essential to understanding their motivations, challenges, and preferences. Additionally, creating value and urgency for prospects is key in showing them how your solution can help them achieve their desired outcomes and avoid negative consequences. Identifying and engaging with decision-makers and influencers in the prospect's organization can also help align your solution with their goals and priorities. Lastly, setting clear expectations and next steps for prospects, as well as following up regularly until they make a decision, can help avoid stalled deals.

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Amara Ricord

COO at Flowium, Email Marketing Experts | Excelling in operations and loving it!
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In addition, don't end a call or open communication without a set plan of action that the client is aware of. Perhaps they aren't ready to make the decision, don't leave it open ended - offer the chance to reconnect & schedule a follow up on their timeline.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Stephen Rowan

Sales Leadership & Strategy Expert | Author of "Sales Made Personal" | Training & Development Specialist | Data-Driven Territory Management | Performance Analytics
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You need to be brave and dive into the reasons behind pipeline leakage and stalled deals. Look for common patterns, such as specific stages in the sales process or particular types of leads or prospects. Determine the main causes, such as insufficient lead qualification, ineffective communication, lack of value proposition, competitive pressures, or internal bottlenecks. Devise targeted solutions to tackle each cause. For instance, if lead qualification is an issue, consider refining your qualification criteria or providing additional training to the sales team. If communication is problematic, focus on enhancing your sales messaging or improving follow-up strategies.

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How do you handle pipeline leakage and stalled deals?

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1 What is pipeline leakage and why does it matter?

2 What are the causes of pipeline leakage?

3 How can you prevent pipeline leakage?

4 What is a stalled deal and why does it happen?

5 How can you revive a stalled deal?

6 How can you avoid stalled deals in the future?

7 Here’s what else to consider

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