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In this episode of the Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake explores one of the most frustrating realities in modern B2B sales:

The deals that never actually say "no" - but never really move forward either.

The pipeline looks healthy. The conversations seemed positive. The proposal was submitted.

And then… nothing.

Fred explains why stalled deals are often misunderstood. In many cases, the issue is not rejection, poor timing, or even stronger competition. Instead, the customer is still trying to make sense of their own situation.

In this episode:

- Why "stuck" deals are often incomplete rather than lost

- The hidden mismatch between sales momentum and customer clarity

- Why customers delay decisions when their thinking is unresolved

- The danger of applying pressure before clarity exists

- Why chasing harder can sometimes create more friction

- How uncertainty inside the customer organisation slows progress naturally

- The subtle shift that helps conversations move forward again

Key Insight

Many sales teams assume: "We've presented the solution, so the deal should progress."

But customers are often still trying to answer deeper questions internally:

- What exactly is the problem?

- What does a good outcome actually look like?

- Is now the right time to act?

Until those questions are resolved, momentum naturally slows down.

Key Takeaway

Instead of asking: "How do we move this deal forward?"

Ask: "What is the customer still trying to work out?"

Because clarity - not pressure - is usually what unlocks progress

Mentioned in this episode

The Collaborative Selling Scorecard - a free tool to assess how aligned your sales approach is with modern customer buying behaviour.

https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/