SalesGuru

Sales results do not decline overnight. In most cases, they reflect an accumulation of overlooked issues within the sales management process. Despite having competitive products and experienced teams, organisations often face declining revenue pipelines, missed targets and reduced market impact. Understanding the causes of poor sales performance is the first step towards implementing solutions that create sustainable growth. 

Why sales are tanking

1. Insufficient prospecting capability

Many salespeople lack the essential prospecting skills required to consistently fill their pipeline. Research by HubSpot shows that 42% of sales representatives identify prospecting as the most challenging part of their role. This is exacerbated by a lack of structured training and low confidence in approaching new markets or buyer groups. Without the ability to proactively identify, engage and qualify prospects, even highly skilled account managers struggle to drive growth. Sales management must recognise that prospecting is not an innate skill; it requires structured development, repetition and accountability.

2. Over-reliance on inbound leads and existing clients
Relying solely on inbound leads and existing business relationships restricts opportunities for expansion. While inbound marketing efforts often yield high-quality leads, they represent only a portion of potential market opportunities. According to Salesforce, top-performing sales organisations use both inbound and outbound strategies to balance pipeline development. Over-reliance on marketing-generated leads leaves sales vulnerable to fluctuations in campaign effectiveness, seasonality or competitive pressure. Sales management teams that prioritise proactive pipeline generation alongside inbound nurturing build resilience into their sales process.

3. Fear of rejection and avoidance of direct outreach
The fear of rejection remains a significant psychological barrier for sales teams. Despite evidence that 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups after initial contact, many salespeople give up after the first or second attempt. This fear results in an overdependence on digital communication channels, with cold calling often neglected. While LinkedIn and email remain vital tools, direct outreach is still preferred by many decision-makers in sectors such as technology, finance and industrial services. Effective sales management includes coaching teams to reframe rejection as a natural step towards a successful conversion, building mental resilience and confidence in outreach.

4. Lack of a defined prospecting strategy and measurable standards
Without a structured prospecting strategy and clear activity standards, sales teams operate reactively rather than proactively. A defined strategy includes detailed buyer personas, messaging frameworks tailored to each segment, daily outreach targets and pipeline hygiene protocols. Research by Rain Group shows that top-performing salespeople are 2.7 times more likely to use a structured process in prospecting. Sales management must ensure the entire team understands and executes this process consistently. Without it, activity levels and results fluctuate, leading to unpredictable sales performance and weakened forecasting accuracy.

5. Limited leadership example in sales prospecting
Sales managers play a critical role in modelling behaviours they expect from their teams. When managers themselves avoid prospecting activities, lack confidence in outreach or fail to prioritise pipeline development, the impact cascades through the team. Sales management is most effective when leaders demonstrate their commitment to new business development by engaging directly with prospecting, whether through co-calling sessions, sharing successful outreach templates or coaching live calls. Leadership credibility is built on action, not intention, and managers who model effective behaviours foster high-performance cultures within their teams.

How to Fix It

1. Prioritise targeted prospecting training

To address skill gaps in prospecting, structured training programmes should be introduced. These programmes must cover the fundamentals of outbound engagement, including prospecting psychology, value-based messaging, objection handling and multi-channel strategies. Practical sessions with role-playing, peer feedback and live coaching build confidence and embed knowledge into daily behaviours. Sales management should integrate these programmes into monthly development plans, ensuring continuous improvement rather than isolated one-off training sessions.

2. Implement a balanced pipeline development approach
Combining proactive outbound prospecting with inbound lead nurturing creates a diversified pipeline strategy. Sales management should establish clear expectations for daily outreach alongside inbound qualification, incorporating a mix of phone calls, personalised emails, social media engagement and referrals. This approach mitigates risk by expanding the number of opportunities in progress at any given time, reducing dependency on a single source. Additionally, pipeline reviews should track the origin of each opportunity to identify areas for further investment or improvement.

3. Build resilience to rejection through coaching and culture
Salespeople who are resilient to rejection maintain higher activity levels and better conversion rates. Sales management can foster this resilience by normalising rejection as part of the process during team meetings, sharing rejection stories from senior leaders and celebrating perseverance alongside wins. Coaching should focus on reframe techniques to view objections as opportunities for deeper qualification and learning, rather than personal failures. Cultivating this mindset creates a culture of confidence and proactive problem-solving within the team.

4. Define and enforce a structured prospecting system
Implementing a structured prospecting system ensures consistency and accountability. This system should include clear buyer personas, target lists prioritised by potential value, messaging frameworks tailored to pain points, minimum daily outreach standards and robust CRM data hygiene protocols. Sales management must track key performance indicators such as contact-to-meeting ratios, calls made per day and conversion rates to drive accountability and performance coaching. A disciplined approach enables reliable forecasting and supports sustainable revenue growth.

5. Lead by example with manager-led prospecting initiatives
Leaders who lead from the front build credibility and motivate their teams. Sales managers should dedicate time each week to engage in prospecting activities alongside their teams and demonstrate the desired behaviours in practice. This approach fosters a sense of collective purpose and commitment to growth.

Effective sales management underpins sustainable success. SalesGuru partners with organisations to implement world-class sales management programmes that embed these principles into daily practice. To learn more about transforming sales performance, visit SalesGuru today and arrange a strategy session with one of our experts.