As a salesperson, have you ever stopped to look back at the past 6 or 12 months of your opportunities? It can be rewarding to relive the great deals you closed and the hard work it took to achieve them. But what about the ones that got away? You know the ones I’m talking about—not the tire kickers just looking for price comparisons or the potential customers you knew weren’t a good fit from the start. I mean the deals you were excited about, the ones you were certain would close, only to watch them slip through your fingers. Maybe they decided not to move forward, or worse, they went with a competitor. Looking back, you wonder—what, if anything, could you have done differently? You were so close, and then the opportunity leaked out of your sales pipeline. If this happens often, ask yourself: what is it costing you?
Let’s be realistic—you’re not going to win every deal. Not every lost opportunity is a failure on your part, and not every deal lost over ‘price’ means your pricing is too high (please don’t go down that path—you likely won’t like where it leads). But often, there’s a flaw in your sales process that you can identify, control, and improve to close more deals and fix the leaks that are causing unnecessary losses. The good news? Once you find these leaks, they’re usually easy to repair, leading to fast improvements in your sales revenue.
5 Ways to Fix the Leaks in Your Sales Pipeline
- Listen Better – As salespeople, we often get so excited about a new opportunity that we focus more on what we think the customer needs rather than truly listening to what they want. It’s important to guide clients toward the best solution, but don’t overlook the key concerns they voiced at the start. Listening better ensures your pitch aligns with their priorities.
- Position the Value – I’ll be honest—I get a little tired of hearing “sell the value” because it can shift the focus away from the customer and onto us. Instead, differentiate yourself in a way that matters to the customer. Present what makes you unique in a way that directly benefits them, so they don’t just see you as another price tag.
- Microcommitments – This is where I find the biggest and worst leaks in sales pipelines. Too many salespeople fail to secure the next step. A vague “Let’s follow up next week” or “Call me when you’re ready” won’t cut it. Microcommitments should include a specific date and time agreed upon by both parties. Without it, the deal remains shallow and at risk of falling apart.
- Review Quotes in Person – I’m not a fan of simply emailing quotes or estimates without a scheduled review. I know it’s convenient, and it’s probably what the customer asked for, but it also means your proposal gets lumped in with others and viewed primarily through the lens of price. Schedule a proposal review so you can hear concerns, handle objections, and significantly increase your closing rate.
- Improve Communication – If salespeople drop the ball anywhere in the process, it’s usually in follow-up and communication. I get it—no one wants to overcommunicate. But when customers don’t hear from you, they experience uncertainty, and uncertainty opens the door for your competition. Time kills deals. Stay engaged and make sure they always know what’s next.
Seal the Leaks and Win More Deals
Every lost opportunity is a chance to refine your approach. By listening better, positioning value effectively, securing microcommitments, reviewing quotes in person, and improving communication, you can close more deals and stop revenue from slipping through the cracks. The small adjustments you make today will lead to big wins tomorrow.
