Question / 01
Why do our sales deals go quiet?
Short answer
Usually because the buyer is afraid of getting it wrong, not because a competitor won.
More detail
Questions behind the answer
Whatis happening
What does a stuck deal look like?
A stuck deal has no buyer-owned next step: meetings slip, the decision date moves or the main contact stops involving others. An analysis of 2.5 million sales calls found 40–60% of qualified deals ended with no decision, so silence is a common outcome to diagnose early.
Whyit happens
Why does my prospect ghost me?
A buyer may worry more about choosing badly than about missing the upside. Silence can signal uncertainty, internal disagreement or a changed priority; it does not prove a competitor won.
Howto fix it
How do we restart a stuck deal?
- Ask what has changed and what still needs to be decided.
- Offer one recommendation tied to the buyer's stated needs.
- Reduce perceived risk with a small pilot, staged start or clear exit point.
Sources: Stop Losing Sales to Customer Indecision - Harvard Business Review