Some deals fall apart overnight. However, most don’t. They start with small warning signs, like delayed responses or concerns that never get resolved. That’s deal risk — the signals that warn a sale may be slipping off track before you even realize it. The sooner you spot those signs, the better your chances of keeping things moving.

In a post for the Sybill blog, writer Tamanna Mishra says prospects give you clues that a deal might be starting to stall. You just have to know what to look for. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share her thoughts on some deal-risk signals you can catch early.

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  1. The next step is unclear. According to Mishra, a vague next step is one of the earliest signs of deal risk. A strong next step has a date, an owner, a purpose and a clear buyer-side reason to continue. A weak next step sounds positive but has no commitment.

  2. The timeline is not tied to a business event. A risky timeline might sound like, “We’re aiming for end of quarter.” A healthier timeline sounds like, “We need to present a recommendation to the CFO next Friday.” Mishra says a real timeline connects the deal to something like a business event or executive priority.

  3. The economic buyer is missing. Mishra points out that in complex B2B deals, one enthusiastic leader is rarely enough. That’s because a champion can love your product and still fail to get the deal approved.

  4. Budget comes up but never gets resolved. If the prospect is facing some budget hesitation, it often means the deal needs stronger business justification. The danger, according to Mishra, is when budget is brought up but never inspected.

  5. Competitors appear in the deal. It can sometimes be useful if you hear a competitor’s name. It usually means the prospect is serious enough to compare options. But competitor mentions become risky when the team doesn’t know how the competitor is being positioned.

  6. The prospect goes quiet after a positive call. Mishra says this is one of the most frustrating forms of deal risk because it typically follows a call that seemed to go well. Silence could be due to anything, from a busy schedule to an unapproved budget.

Your sales pipeline won’t ever be completely free of risk. But when you learn to spot the warning signs that a deal might not close, you can often get things back on track before it’s too late.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Tamanna Mishra is a seasoned communications professional who contributes to the Sybill blog.