When the sales process is too long and clients disappear

And you lose opportunities between one meeting and another

Do you recognize this situation?

• From first call to signature takes 3-6 months
• The client is interested, but "has to talk to others"
• Between one meeting and another, urgency vanishes
• You propose follow-ups, but the client becomes unreachable
• When you're finally ready to close, they've chosen another or "postponed"

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The dispersion of the long process

The client contacts you interested.

First call: enthusiastic.
Second call: engaged.
Third call: "I have to consult the team".
Fourth call (if it happens): "we're evaluating".

And then silence.

They didn't say no.
But not yes either.
They simply vanished into the limbo of indecision.

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What happens when the cycle is too long

On the commercial front:

• Pipeline full of "maybes" that never convert
• Unreliable forecasts: "this month we should close 5", you close 1
• Commercial effort dispersed on too many lukewarm prospects
• Sales team frustration

On the economic front:

• High commercial costs per conversion
• Unpredictable cash flow
• Budget locked in "almost clients" instead of growth
• Break-even always postponed

On the competitive front:

• Those with faster process steal clients from you
• The client meanwhile finds alternatives
• Initial urgency cools
• Priorities, budget, decision-makers change

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Why it happens

It's not that the client doesn't want to buy.
It's that your process doesn't help them decide.

Too many phases.
Too many stakeholders to involve.
Too many documents to prepare.
Too much time to say "yes".

And the more time passes, the easier it is to say "wait".
The urgency that was there at the start evaporates.

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The (wrong) path many try

Apparent solution: Chase the client with continuous follow-ups

But if the problem is structural (too complex process), the more you chase, the more the client distances.
You're perceived as intrusive, not useful.

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The 5-step method:

1. Cycle compression
   → Goal: from first call to signature in 2-4 weeks maximum
   → Eliminate useless steps
2. Immediate and brutal qualification
   → First call: budget? Timeline? Decision-maker? Process?
   → If one is missing, not a serious prospect
3. Fast-track for those who are ready
   → If they have budget, urgency, decision authority: proposal in 48h
   → No "let's talk in two weeks"
4. Concrete proposal, not generic
   → "We start from here, we add later"
   → Client must say yes/no to something tangible
5. Deadline and scarcity
   → "Availability until..." "Price valid until..."
   → Create genuine sense of urgency

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What changes after

Clients decide quickly.

Those who are serious buy.
Those who aren't, you discover immediately and don't waste time.
The pipeline empties of "zombies" and fills with real prospects.

Revenue becomes predictable, not hoped for.
And the sales team returns to being effective.