A prospect's unwillingness to introduce you to other decision-makers or share proprietary information (even under an NDA) is a definitive red flag. These are not signs of a slow deal, but of a dead one. It indicates a lack of serious commitment, and you should disengage to reinvest your time elsewhere.
Rushing to engage procurement shifts the conversation prematurely to price. Instead, focus on building an overwhelmingly strong value case with your internal coach and the economic buyer. This empowers your supporters to champion the solution's value, neutralizing procurement's ability to commoditize your offering and focus solely on cost reduction.
A 'champion' likes your product, but a 'coach' has the internal experience and political capital to navigate procurement, legal, and other departments. To qualify a coach, confirm they have successfully managed similar complex projects in the past and can protect you from internal minefields.
In a competitive deal, the winning vendor is often the one everyone at the decision table already knows and trusts. Use platforms like LinkedIn to build broad visibility and credibility across the organization, not just with your main contact. When decision-makers are familiar with your content and value, you become the default, trusted choice.
Instead of only tracking major sales stages, monitor a deal's health by securing a series of small agreements. Consistent 'micro-commitments'—like scheduling the next meeting, agreeing to review technical specs, or making an introduction—are more reliable indicators that a complex deal is actively progressing and not just sitting idle in the pipeline.
Track the number of deals you lose each month as a key performance indicator. If the loss number is zero or too low, it's a red flag that your team is likely competing solely on price and excessively discounting to win. A healthy loss rate indicates you are holding firm on value and protecting margins.