A blog titled “An Empty Sales Pipeline” should be a no-brainer, right? I almost wonder if it’s even worth writing about. But then I remember the countless conversations I have each week with salespeople who aren’t hitting their goals. What’s the #1 reason they fall short? (Go ahead, ask. I dare you.) Their sales pipeline is empty. But wait—if the sales pipeline is so critical, why would anyone let it run dry? (Go ahead, ask again. Make my day.) The answer is almost always the same: over-reliance on inbound leads, a lack of prospecting, and failure to actively seek new opportunities. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve fallen into this trap before. And I don’t know a single salesperson who hasn’t. It happens. But resting on your laurels for too long is a dangerous game.
The reason salespeople miss their targets isn’t complicated—it’s a lack of new business. And the #1 reason for lacking new business? A failure to prospect. If you don’t like prospecting, you won’t like that statement, but do the math. It checks out every time. The bottom line is this: you must monitor your sales pipeline regularly to ensure new opportunities are constantly being added. It’s simple in theory but requires discipline. The most successful salespeople aren’t just great closers—they’re consistent prospectors. Keeping a steady stream of opportunities in your pipeline is fundamental to long-term success.
How to Keep Your Sales Pipeline Full and Flowing
- Know Your Ideal Client – Not every opportunity is a good one. Sometimes we chase quantity over quality, but that leads to wasted time. Filling your pipeline isn’t enough—fill it with the right opportunities.
- Know Your Source – If your pipeline dries up (and it will, from time to time), you need to know where to go for new business. Yes, you can have multiple sources, but imagine being thirsty and not knowing where to find water. Identify your most reliable sources of high-quality leads and tap into them consistently.
- Know Your Thresholds – How many new leads should enter your pipeline each week or month to maintain steady growth? If you don’t know this number, you’re flying blind. Determine your minimum threshold and act before your pipeline dries up, not after.
- Keep It Steady – A healthy sales flow requires consistency. If you only scramble for leads when things slow down, you’ll end up chasing too many of the wrong opportunities. A consistent pipeline plus consistent activity equals consistent results.
- Don’t Let the Good Times Fool You – Things will slow down again—it’s just a matter of when. If you wait until it’s too late, you’ll have to work twice as hard to get the pipeline flowing again. Got plenty of leads to work on right now? Great. But that’s no excuse to stop prospecting.
