Tackling Stalled Deals: A Guide to Boosting Deal Velocity

Isn't it extremely frustrating to get ghosted or delayed in sales?

Especially when a promising deal suddenly loses momentum.

It happens to the best of us, but understanding why deals stall and knowing how to address these roadblocks can make all the difference. 

Why Do Deals Get Stalled?

Deals don’t just stall out of nowhere. There are underlying reasons that slow down progress, and recognising these is the first step to getting back on track.

1. Lack of Motivation - Your prospect might not feel a sense of urgency to move forward. They could be unsure about the ROI, overwhelmed by competing priorities, or just not convinced this is the right time.

2. Complex Buying Process - For many prospects, navigating the internal buying process can be daunting. Legal, finance, and leadership approvals can all create friction, especially when there’s no clear roadmap.

3. Too Many Stakeholders - The more people involved, the harder it is to achieve alignment. Differing priorities or miscommunication between stakeholders can stall the decision-making process.

4. The Prospect’s Problem Isn’t Urgent - If they don’t perceive their problem as critical, they’ll deprioritise solving it. Without tangible consequences, the need to act now simply isn’t there.

5. The Prospect Isn’t Sold on You or Your Product - Whether it’s scepticism about your solution or concerns about risks, prospects may hesitate to commit if they aren’t fully confident in you.

Strategies to Get Stalled Deals Moving Again

1. Address a Lack of Motivation

Use the MEDDPICC framework to reassess the deal. Focus on uncovering critical elements:

• Pain Points: What’s causing them frustration or costing them money?

• Budget: Do they have the resources allocated?

• Decision-Making Process: Who needs to sign off, and what are their criteria?

Action Plan: Reframe your solution to align with their most pressing needs. Tailor your messaging to emphasise the ROI and demonstrate how delaying the decision could hurt their business.

2. Simplify the Complex Buying Process

The more convoluted the buying process, the more likely your deal will stall. Help your prospects by acting as their guide.

Action Plan:

• Map out all the stakeholders early in the process. These may include department heads, finance teams, legal, and leadership.

• Create templates, checklists, and step-by-step guides to streamline approvals.

• Establish a timeline with clear milestones to keep everything moving.

By taking ownership of the process, you’ll minimise friction and make it easier for the buyer to navigate.

3. Manage Multiple Stakeholders Effectively

When several people are involved, it’s essential to understand the decision-making hierarchy. Some stakeholders will have more influence than others, and keeping everyone aligned is critical.

Action Plan:

• Work with your point of contact (POC) to identify all the stakeholders and their roles.

• Focus your efforts on the most influential decision-makers.

• Set up regular updates to keep everyone informed and maintain momentum, but let the key decision-maker lead the final call.

4. Build Urgency Around Their Problem

If the prospect doesn’t see their issue as urgent, it’s up to you to show them the cost of inaction.

Action Plan:

• Quantify the impact of their problem. For example, “By not acting, your team could lose X% of revenue or spend an extra £Y on inefficiencies.”

• Highlight how competitors are solving similar challenges, creating a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out).

When you tie the problem to measurable consequences, it becomes much harder for them to delay action.

5. Win Over a Hesitant Prospect

If they’re not sold on your solution, it’s time to dig deeper and reposition your offering.

Action Plan:

• Have a candid conversation to understand their concerns. Is it pricing, product fit, or something else?

• Offer a lower-risk entry point, such as a trial period, pilot programme, or a phased rollout.

• Share success stories and case studies that demonstrate your product’s value in similar situations.

Sometimes, breaking the deal into smaller, manageable steps can make it easier for them to commit.

How HubSpot Can Help Boost Deal Velocity

1. Pinpointing Decision-Makers and Key Stakeholders with Lead Scoring

When deals stall due to unclear decision-making or too many stakeholders, HubSpot's lead scoring comes to the rescue. HubSpot allows you to identify and prioritise key decision-makers by analysing job titles, roles, and behavioural data. Using these insights, you can focus your efforts on contacts with the highest influence over the deal, ensuring you direct your messaging to those who matter most.

For example, if you're dealing with a company where several stakeholders are involved, you can use the lead score to categorise roles and establish who holds the buying power.

2. Automating Lead Prioritisation

HubSpot's lead scoring tools automatically update scores based on engagement and fit. High-scoring leads—those demonstrating significant interest and alignment with your ideal customer profile—can be flagged and prioritised for immediate follow-up. This automation ensures no valuable opportunity gets overlooked while keeping your pipeline moving efficiently​

3. Use HubSpot to Implement MEDDPICC

HubSpot’s deal properties let you track essential details like budget, decision-making processes, and pain points in one place. With automated reminders and tasks, you can ensure you’re always prepared to re-engage prospects with tailored messaging.

4. Simplify Buying Processes with HubSpot Playbooks

HubSpot’s playbooks provide standardised workflows to guide your buyers through complex processes. You can also use its CRM to map stakeholders, assign tasks, and set deadlines to keep the process organised.

5. Manage Stakeholders with Sequences

Maintain regular communication with all stakeholders using HubSpot sequences. These automated email workflows ensure everyone is kept in the loop while activity tracking keeps your team aligned.

6. Quantify Impact with Custom Reports

HubSpot’s reporting tools let you build dashboards to highlight the cost of inaction. Use visuals to show prospects how your solution addresses their specific pain points and potential gains.

7. Build Trust and Value with Personalised Content

HubSpot enables you to send personalised proposals, quotes, and nurture emails. Share case studies, ROI calculators, or an invitation to a pilot programme—all within the platform—to reinforce your value and keep your prospect engaged.

Stalled deals don’t have to stay stuck. By identifying the root causes—whether it’s a lack of urgency, too many stakeholders, or a complex process—and implementing targeted strategies, you can reignite momentum. Leveraging tools like HubSpot further simplifies the process, helping you drive deal velocity and close with confidence.