We’ve all been there. The meeting was great. The buyer nodded, smiled, said, “Send it over.” You spent hours tailoring your proposal… hit send… and then—silence.

‍That’s the moment most deals die.

‍Not because the offer’s bad, but because we gave up control too soon.

Where Deals Lose Speed

When we “follow up later,” we hand over the momentum. We think we’re being helpful—but we’re training prospects that our time is free and our process is optional.

The result? ❌ Ghosted proposals ❌ Wasted selling hours ❌ Slower pipelines

The Science Behind Speed

Speed is how fast something moves. Velocity? That's how fast something moves and in the direction.

Is your direction Buyer First or Me First?

Velocity doesn’t come from rushing.

It comes from qualifying tighter and creating mutual commitment.Each micro-action from a buyer—filling out a discovery form, looping in stakeholders, confirming a review call—builds momentum.

👉 These are your deal velocity checkpoints:

•    Pre-meeting prep form completed

•    Budget range discussed

•    Decision-makers identified

•    Review date locked in before the proposal is sent.

When only one side has skn in the game, a ghost will appear.

4 Quick Wins to Boost Deal Velocity

1️⃣ Qualify early, deeply, confidently. If they can’t commit time now, they won’t commit money later. As my father always said, “ Talk is cheap.” Many buyers are afraid to say “No", it is easier to accept the calendar invite and not show or waste both parties' time. Protect yours. Get in front of that, what signals are you picking up on that shows non-commitment? Spoken and unspoken, delayed hesitation, fading urgency, obvious or non-obvious signals?

2️⃣ Never send a proposal alone. Schedule a review call—it’s not a document, it’s a conversation. Who else needs to be on that review cal? ‍

Pro tip: Add a video recording background and spell unique attributes of your solution out so there is no uncertainty. They can send this video to others and prepare them for the upcoming call. Greater visibility and reach for you. Plus, a video competing against a PDF, only one winner there.

3️⃣ Use data to find friction. Track where deals stall and address those choke points.  Review your calls, lost or stalled deals. Review the commitments in your buying process, how far along did we get, and what commitment did we forget or get stopped at? This is the reason to follow a process- it removes emotion. You did it or you didn’t. Like Monopoly, you can’t collect $200 until you pass Go.

4️⃣ Ask for reciprocity. Micro-commitments show macro-intent. "You do I do." Mini-commitments along the way, start chipping away at their fear of messing up, FOMU. They are getting comfortable easing forward and have a feeling of what it’s like to work with you in a pressure-free setting.

The Human Factor

Fast deals aren’t luck—they’re leadership. You control the energy, not the outcome. Stay warm, stay firm, stay in the driver’s seat. When you lead the process, reveal your true self, they find the courage to do the same. They feel your confidence and follow faster.

Final Thought

You can’t shorten your sales cycle by cutting corners. You shorten it by cutting waste—and protecting your most valuable resource: your time. Before your next proposal, ask yourself: “What’s one signal that shows this buyer is truly invested?”

👉 Ready to uncover what’s slowing your sales process?

‍📈 Take our quick Sales Velocity Assessment to find your deal bottlenecks and accelerate your pipeline.

If you are interested in having a more in-depth Assessment completed, please reach out to Karen to discuss the requirements at karen@k2perform.com.

🔗 Start the Assessment Now

‍

Honoured to stand alongside incredible friends, colleagues, and sales leaders on the Top 100 Powerful Women in Sales 2025 list.

I'm here not despite my challenges and setbacks, but because of them.

Every failure, every closed door, every "no"—they weren't roadblocks. They were my greatest teachers. Those lessons are what equip me to coach, train, and speak to teams today. I know what works and what doesn't because I've walked both paths.

To every woman considering sales or sales leadership: your voice matters. Your perspective is needed. The path isn't always easy, but it's worth it.

Here's to attracting more women into this incredible profession—and lifting each other up along the way.

Check out the full list here: https://www.demandbase.com/blog/women-in-sales-2025/

Thank you to all my friends and colleagues who nominated me- I appreciate you!