You’re Not Losing Deals Because of Price - It’s This
Do you know the biggest reason I see salespeople lose deals?
It's not pricing.
It's not the product.
It's not even competition.
It's poor management of the buyer's touchpoints - usually what happens after that first email, demo, or proposal.
You can call them follow-ups, callbacks, check-ins - whatever you like.
However, most early-stage reps I work with miss this critical part of the sales process, and they lose deals.
Let's break it down.
1. Not Enough Touchpoints in Outbound
I once read a stat (can't remember where) that said prospects typically respond after the third or fourth time seeing your name, an email, a LinkedIn comment, or a call attempt.
But what do most salespeople do?
They try once.
Maybe twice.
Then they disappear… or worse, come back two weeks later as if the prospect awaits them.
What works instead? A sequence.
Spacing touchpoints a few days apart. Touching prospects at least 5-6 times over a month.
Each one adds relevance.
Each one provides value - a stat, an insight, a perspective.
Not just "bumping this up" but building trust and familiarity.
2. After The Demo → Silence Trap
Here's the classic scenario:
Prospect: "Thanks, Matteo. Could you send over your pricing and a deck? I'll get back to you."
Sales: "Sure, here you go!"
[Silence for 3 weeks]
Sound familiar?
This is where deals stall. Right after the demo or proposal, when you think the heavy lifting is done.
But actually, it's just beginning.
Here's what great reps do:
Prospect: "Send the deck and pricing, I'll get back to you."
Sales: "Absolutely - but let's also set a quick follow-up so I can walk you through any questions in the decision-making process. How much time do you need internally to evaluate this?"
Prospect: "Mmmh, A couple of days."
Sales: "Perfect. I'll send you a placeholder for Friday, so we stay on track. In the meantime, here is my WhatsApp number for any questions you may have."
Always. Set. Next. Steps.
If you leave a meeting without them, the deal leaves you uncertain.
Bonus tip: Do not ask for permission; set the steps as the standard segue to the process.
3. Ignoring Legal & Procurement
Almost every deal over €5K goes through legal and procurement. Yet, I see salespeople treat this phase like a surprise.
Don't wait. Anticipate.
Legal will want to review the contract and redline the terms in their favour. Always.
Procurement will ask for a discount.
This is not bad news - this is standard. Just be ready.
Here's what I'd do:
Share the contract upfront (usually after the demo).
Mention your contract redlining policy ahead of time.
Reserve some discount as a final card to play with procurement.
Confirm early whether we're open to T&C changes, especially for smaller deals.
By doing this, you stay in control and keep the process moving.
There are no surprises, and there are no last-minute fire drills.
Final Thought: Sales Is a Process
The longer I do this job, the more I believe this:
Sales isn't magic. It's a process. And the process has no shortcuts.
The reps who win aren't the smoothest talkers or the most persistent chasers - they're the most structured, prepared, and disciplined.
They follow up.
They think ahead.
They move deals forward with intention and structure.
If that's you, you're already ahead. If it's not you, do something.
Thanks for reading. See you next week.
