There’s a lot of activity happening — sales calls, demos, proposals — but not enough measurable opportunities or revenue results.
If you’re wondering, “Why does everything feel harder this year?” — you’re not alone.
According to one study, the sales process has gotten 22% longer since 2022. In just 3 years.
As we talk with business owners, sales teams, and partners across industries — tech, manufacturing, consulting, services, and more — the patterns are clear: sales cycles are longer, deals stall more often, and decisions are harder to get.
Inflation has hit the sales process.
Why does selling feel so hard right now?
Because selling is hard. You’re doing the work, but and not seeing the movement. Few opportunities are closing. Here are five trends we’re hearing, observing, and helping clients manage right now.
1. Everyone’s Still Working, But Sales Decisions Are Frozen
Prospects are active — but they aren’t deciding.
Across several industries, we’ve noticed something strange: buyers are engaged in conversations, even working on holidays, but then everything goes quiet when it’s time to commit. One CEO told us one of his reps was working an interested prospect all the way through Thanksgiving — and not the kind where people say, “Let’s talk next quarter.” These were active emails about pricing and proposals over the actual holiday.
But those emails? They didn’t turn into a deal. A week later, that same prospect sent the dreaded, “thanks for all your time, but…” email.
Sales teams are investing effort, customizing solutions, and getting verbal agreement… only to watch deals sit in limbo. No response. No update. No close.
What is the most common outcome right now? No decision. Not rejection. Not budget loss. Just silence.
2. The Sales Process Has Stretched — But No One Told the Pipeline
Sales cycles are longer, but your team may not be accounting for it.
What used to be a 30-day close is now a 60- to 90-day process — sometimes longer. We’re seeing this trend across smaller opportunities through mid-market and enterprise deals.
And it’s not limited to the deal size. It’s every deal that’s taking longer to close.
In smaller companies, the CEO or owner is often the decision maker. And that decision is personal. It’s often their budget, their credit card, and their risk.
As one partner put it, “What used to be a considered purchase is now multiplied by 10. A decision that used to involve 2-3 people might now include 10 or more reviews. There’s so much more scrutiny before anyone says yes.”
Even when you’re getting buying signals, meeting requests, demos, pricing conversations — those aren’t leading to commitment. Sales reps feel momentum, but decision timelines have stretched so far that it creates a false sense of pipeline health.
It’s a shift in decision dynamics.
If you’re measuring progress the same way you did a year ago, your forecasts may be wildly off.
3. It’s a Bake-Off… or a Brush-Off
Right now, one of two things is happening with your “interested” buyers:
Silent Bake-Offs
Buyers tell you they’re only talking to you — but they’re quietly comparing you to others. Even small teams are now doing full due diligence.
We’re seeing this in professional services, SaaS, and even IT firms. Buyers are coming to the table informed, guarded, and noncommittal. They’re evaluating multiple solutions in parallel — without telling any vendor about the full picture.
Your rep thinks the deal is a lock. The buyer is just making a checklist comparison.
Deferred Decisions
Even worse: some aren’t comparing you to anyone.
They’re stalling… intentionally.
We worked with one team that had a highly qualified deal in September. After deep scoping, pricing alignment, and multiple internal discussions, the CEO said, “We’re going to do this.”
Then on the last day of the month?
“I’m not going to move forward. I’ll probably still get the same pricing in March.”
That’s not a competitor win. That’s “we’ll decide later” dressed up as due diligence.
These two dynamics, quiet bake-offs and intentional delays, are flooding CRMs with deals that look real but aren’t moving. And it’s burning out reps.
4. The Emotional Toll on Sales Reps of Last-Minute Pullouts
One of the hardest parts right now isn’t just that deals stall. It’s how they stall.
What used to be a few well-placed calls and a final proposal now requires multiple internal meetings, more compliance or procurement steps, and longer consideration windows. Reps are investing hours preparing pricing models, writing custom proposals, and coordinating cross-functional teams. In some cases, even getting verbal confirmation.
Then, nothing.
We’re hearing from teams who had deals fully scoped and priced, with delivery plans mapped out. Then, days before signature, the buyer backs out. No negotiation. Just an abrupt change.
One prospect told us, “I was just seeing what I could get. I’ll revisit it later.”
Another, “We’re planning to buy… but not until after the election.”
This whiplash has an impact. It’s not just lost revenue — it’s emotional drain on the team.
5. Buyers Need Certainty — and Digital Trust
Your sales reps and value proposition aren’t enough anymore as buyers are influenced by proof of performance, AEO, and user-generated content platforms.
We’re seeing more buyers ask:
“What kind of results will we really see?”
“What have companies like ours achieved?”
They want certainty. Not marketing fluff. Not vague outcomes. Proof.
Your messaging must shift from potential to performance. From benefits to outcomes. From “we could help” to “here’s exactly what will happen.”
Buyers are forming opinions based on:
- AI platforms and AEO
- User generated content platforms
- Knowledge sharing forums
- Online reviews
- Peer recommendations
- Your website and digital presence
- Your content (or lack of it)
That means your brand — not just your rep — is in the sales process, too. You’re being judged on how you show up digitally, even before the first conversation.
To build digital trust, your sales and marketing efforts have to work together. Your messaging, content, and buyer experience must create confidence before the proposal even lands.
What should you do if your deals are stuck right now?
You can’t force decisions but you can improve the conditions around them.
Selling is hard right now. But the answer isn’t more effort — it’s different effort.
Start by asking yourself and your team:
- At what point in the sales process are buyers stalling — and why?
- What’s creating friction in our follow-up?
- Are we showing real ROI outcomes or vague potential?
- What does a buyer see in AI searches, Reddit chats, and on our website, before they talk to us?
And then make these shifts:
- Structure follow-up more tightly. Tie up loose ends. Communicate more frequently.
- Use visibility tools inside your CRM to track movement (or lack of it). HubSpot let’s us track movement in dashboards, emails, and AI analyses.
- Update your messaging to focus on certainty, not potential. Add more case studies with specific ROI.
- Invest in digital trust. Content, credibility, and presence matter. They all feed AI questions your prospects are asking before, during, and after they engage with you in the sales process.
- Help your reps use AI tools to streamline day-to-day productivity. AI isn’t just for marketers. Your salespeople need help managing outreach, follow-up, personalization, and timing. The sales process is longer. They’re exhausted with the follow-up requirements.
The first question isn’t: “Why aren’t we closing?”
It’s: “Where are we losing visibility?”
What Can You Do to Improve Your Sales Cycle?
Knowing what the issue is in the sales process will help you improve it, but then you need to act. Let’s talk about how to shorten the sales cycle, improve conversions, and see where your deals are stalling — so you can finally see what’s working and generate better revenue results. Schedule a call or email us. You can’t afford more stalled deals.
About Kendra Lee
Revenue generator and founder of KLA Group, Kendra Lee helps small and mid-sized companies grow revenue by getting seen, getting heard, and getting traction—with sales, marketing, and AI strategies that cut through the noise. She’s the author of The Sales Magnet, with her third book, Building a Revenue Generating Engine, coming January 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why are deals stalling more than usual right now?
A: Buyers are under pressure. Budgets are tight. Risk tolerance is low. Many are rethinking every investment, even those that were close to signing. That leads to hesitation and silence, even in well-qualified opportunities.
Q: Is this just happening in tech sectors?
A: Not at all. We see this in manufacturing, professional services, engineering-heavy firms, B2B consulting, and SaaS. The issue crosses industries.
Q: How do I keep my team productive with so many “maybe later” deals?
A: Change how you measure and manage activity. Give reps tools and structure like KLA Group implements reps in HubSpot to use AI for preparation and follow-up, and executives for CRM visibility and tighter processes. Focus on creating certainty and maintaining momentum rather than chasing every lukewarm lead.
Q: What is “digital trust” and why does it matter now more than before?
A: Digital trust is the credibility your company builds before a prospect talk to Sales. It’s your online presence — website, content, reviews, and social proof. It matters because buyers research now more than ever throughout the full sales process and what they uncover strongly influences how they’ll engage. At KLA Group we conducted a webinar about how to build digital trust.
Q: What should I do with all these “stuck” deals in our CRM?
A: Clean them up, but don’t delete them. Use pipeline stages or tags to mark them as deferred or re-engage later. Then build a strategy to warm them back up. AI tools can help you reframe outreach and identify timing signals based on prior engagement.
Q: Is this just a seasonal slowdown — or something bigger?
A: It’s not just seasonal. What we’re seeing is structural: longer buying cycles, more stakeholders, and higher scrutiny. At KLA Group we’re working with clients to shift their sales process and touch points in response. Economic uncertainty is driving more caution across industries. That’s why adjusting your approach now, not waiting for things to “go back to normal, is critical.
Q: How can marketing help move deals forward in this environment?
A: Marketing needs to create content that builds confidence, not just awareness. If you’re working with a marketing agency like KLA Group, you should be creating case studies, ROI proof points, FAQs, objection handling, and explainer assets that reinforce certainty. The goal isn’t just leads. It’s momentum across the buyer’s journey.
Q: Should I lower prices to close more deals right now?
A: In most cases, no, because lowering price doesn’t create urgency. It creates skepticism. Instead, shift focus to what you can guarantee, prove, or clarify. Buyers want to minimize risk, not just cost. If your offer is strong, improve your packaging, proof, or timing options.
Affiliate Disclosure:
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase or sign up for HubSpot products, KLA Group may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We recommend only those products and services we truly believe will add value to your business.
Read More Related Articles
