A million excuses get surfaced, but there are four (and only four) reasons that your deal hasn’t yet closed, and suggestions on what to do get that deal back on track:

• Reason #1: Unfamiliarity -

It generally takes more than one (and often several) meetings before a customer will feel comfortable working with a sales professional and the professional’s firm. Fix: Get in front of the customer!  If you can’t afford to travel to see everyone you need to see, try using web conferencing or other online tools.

• Reason #2: Bureaucracy -

Many organizations have a complex decision-making process that involves more than one buyer. Often even the CEO wants consensus with other executives before a major purchase. Fix: Interview your customer contacts to discover that actual decision-making process.  Then devise a plan to influence the process.

• Reason #3: Competition -

It might first be necessary to unseat a competitor before the sales takes place. That can take time, especially if the competitor is internal to the customer, as when you’re selling outsourcing. Fix: Discover the competitive landscape and who has the inside track.  Build a campaign that specifically addresses the competitor’s weaknesses.

• Reason #4: Priorities -

As important as the sale is to you, it may not be all that important to the customer. People can only focus on a few things at once and your offering may not yet be at the top of the stack. Fix: Revisit your customer contacts and build a stronger financial case.  Get the customer to agree on how much it will cost them if they don’t buy now.