Running on empty?

Guest author: Steve Burton, CRO, The Point Company (more about him below!)

At risk of stating the bleedin' obvious, if you’re looking at your sales pipeline and it’s barely moving, it’s a big problem.

When your pipeline is low and you’re behind on your targets, it creates a lot of pressure, which can lead to rushed decisions and quick fixes.

To solve a pipeline crisis, you need a solid strategy and to focus on sustainable growth, not just scrambling to meet short-term targets. Having worked with hundreds of vendors in the tech space, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that many new business prospecting teams are simply not making it.

Over time, I've heard every excuse under the sun for why this happens, but honestly, most of them are excuses.I’m going to share the reasons I’ve seen for these failures – not from a book or an article, but based on my real experience.

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Why sales prospecting fails

Given how tough prospecting can be, it’s no surprise many teams struggle. Some of these reasons are just surface-level, but they often point to bigger issues.

Let's GO > > >

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1. Stuck in the past: Micromanaging sales teams

You might have had great success setting up teams 15 years ago, but things have changed. If you’re still micromanaging and controlling every aspect of your team, you're likely holding them back.

The sales world has evolved, and your methods need to as well. The key to success today is trusting your team, embracing change, and giving them space to experiment. When teams work together and feel empowered, they’ll be more creative and productive.

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2. Misaligned expectations: The experience gap

You’ve hired fresh graduates thinking they’d be great salespeople right off the bat, but many of them aren’t ready for the tough realities of sales prospecting. They might not want to cold-call or handle rejection, and they’re probably expecting a swift promotion out of the hot seat.

The question is: Can they handle the job now, and will they stick with it long enough to grow into top performers with the right support (not micromanagement)?

Hiring fresh talent can be great, but they need proper mentoring and realistic expectations to succeed. Without that support, they’ll struggle.

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3. Coaching complacency: Losing your commitment

At first, you were excited to train your new hires, host morning meetings, and give them all the support they needed. But as time goes on, it’s easy to get frustrated. Listening to excuses about why people can’t show up for work or pushing through the same issues day after day can take the fun out of coaching.

If you stop holding your team accountable, they’ll start to stagnate. Without guidance, they won’t be motivated to improve or meet their goals, and your sales will suffer.

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4. Environment mismatch: The silent office

Your office is sleek and modern, filled with nice chairs and great coffee, but if it’s not the right environment for sales, it won’t help your team. If your sales team is surrounded by admin staff or tech people in a quiet, sterile office, it can kill the energy and motivation needed to succeed in sales.

A sales team thrives on a lively, sales-focused environment where they can feed off each other’s energy. Without that, it's tough to stay engaged and driven.

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5. The LinkedIn Navigator fallacy

You’ve invested in LinkedIn Navigator, but if you don’t know how to use it, it’s just another wasted tool. It’s a powerful resource, but only if you’re using it strategically. If your team is aimlessly clicking around on profiles without a solid plan, they’re missing out on valuable opportunities.

Without a clear strategy, LinkedIn Navigator can quickly turn into a time-sink rather than a prospecting powerhouse.

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6. Too friendly, too familiar

Building a friendly, inclusive culture is important, but too much familiarity can backfire. If you're too close with your team, you might struggle to address under performance or hold people accountable.

Sometimes, the team needs some tough love to push them past their comfort zone. Without it, they might not reach their full potential.

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7. The cultural disconnect

Even with fresh hires, the same issues might keep popping up. This isn't just about having the wrong people in the wrong roles - it’s about a cultural disconnect within your team. These deeper problems need to be addressed, or nothing will change.

Just switching out the team members won’t fix things. If your team doesn’t feel aligned with your culture and expectations, performance will continue to suffer.

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8. The outsourcing escape

Eventually, the constant cycle of demotivation and turnover can leave you feeling burnt out. It might start to seem like the easiest way out is outsourcing the whole process.

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So how about outsourcing as an idea?

Outsourcing will provide an effective solution when facing demotivation and high turnover within your team. By leveraging external expertise, you can bring in fresh perspectives and specialised skills that drive performance and results.

It also allows you to focus on what you do best while experts handle the intricacies of the sales process, offering a sustainable solution that can help you scale efficiently. Rather than just a temporary fix, it’s a strategic approach to improving sales outcomes, reducing burnout, and ensuring long-term success.

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Time to transform your sales team!

If any of these problems hit home, it’s time to make changes. Recognising the issues is the first step in turning things around. There’s still time to get your team back on track and hit those sales goals.