The evidence doesn’t lie, selling is harder today. Capchase's 2023 and 2024 B2B SaaS Sales Cycles reports show that the average sales cycle has become 3.8 weeks longer across all surveyed companies. 81% of revenue leaders say that challenges with flexible payments are contributing to higher churn rates.
Discounts are also negatively impacting revenue, leading to gaps in potential earnings, and billing is taking up a lot of time. Fortunately, it’s possible to overcome these challenges. Tools like HubSpot can act as a central ecosystem where you can pull in partners to drive speed to close and create a seamless process between sales, finance, and account management.
“As we know, time kills all deals. So, let's build automation and workflow in conjunction with your system of record to help you close faster.” - David Chang
Jump to the clip to hear about the last mile of the deal.
One way to avoid long, drawn-out negotiations is to incentivize sales reps to secure deals with favorable terms, such as longer contracts and better payment conditions. By aligning compensation plans with the quality of revenue generated, organizations can influence sales behavior.
For instance, offer higher commission rates for multi-year contracts or upfront payments to encourage reps to pursue deals that contribute to long-term revenue. This alignment ensures that sales efforts are not just about closing deals but closing the right deals that benefit the company in the long run.
“Change the seller's behavior so that they know what type of contract terms they should be shooting for to make the most amount of money.” - Ryan Milligan
Jump to the clip to hear how QuotaPath runs accelerators in their compensation plans.
Many sales teams still rely heavily on manual processes for contracts and proposals. Despite the availability of tools designed to streamline these tasks, about 75% to 80% of RevOps Co-op members on this webinar said they’re not leveraging integrated solutions.
Transitioning from manual methods to automated tools like PandaDoc can significantly reduce errors, save time, and improve efficiency. Automation not only speeds up the contract management process but also frees up sales reps to focus on building relationships and closing deals.
“Even though most people here are using manual methods, I'd also bet that there are at least three or four different tools involved in that manual process, like DocuSign.”- Jack Coopersmith
Jump to the clip for details on HubSpot app cards.
Monitoring specific metrics is essential to identify and address potential deal stalls. Metrics such as time spent in each deal stage and conversion rates between stages provide valuable insights. Early detection of stalled deals enables teams to take proactive measures to re-engage prospects.
For example, analyzing the percentage of closed deals with subpar terms can reveal patterns that need addressing. By focusing on these indicators, RevOps professionals can maintain deal momentum and improve forecasting accuracy.
Communication patterns serve as critical indicators of a deal's health. Signs such as delayed responses, reduced engagement, or prolonged periods without follow-up meetings suggest that a deal may be stalling. Utilizing automation tools to monitor these signals can prompt timely follow-ups. If a prospect hasn't engaged with a contract document after a certain period, automated alerts can notify the sales rep to reach out.
Centralizing data within a single CRM platform like HubSpot enhances reporting capabilities and predictive analysis. When all customer interactions, deal stages, and engagement metrics are stored in one place, it becomes easier to generate accurate forecasts and leverage artificial intelligence for predictive scoring.
“If you see that communication is starting to wane and they're not responding quickly, that is an absolute indicator that a deal could be going south or could be stalled.” - David Chang
Jump to the clip and learn how a centralized CRM and AI is the way of the future.
Aligning commission structures with specific deal outcomes encourages sales reps to focus on the organization's priorities. By tying commissions to successful contract elements such as favorable payment terms, reduced redlines, and longer contract durations, sales teams are incentivized to secure deals that align with company goals. Visibility into how these factors affect their earnings motivates reps to prioritize quality over quantity, leading to improved revenue retention and overall deal quality.
“Sellers will start saying that our standard contract term is two years. They don't even open the door for one year because they know how much that'll impact their commissions.” - Ryan Milligan
Jump to the clip to hear about sending a waterfall report to motivate sales reps.
The final stages of a deal often involve last-minute changes such as redlines, negotiations, and adjustments to payment terms. Implementing standardized playbooks for common give-and-take scenarios prepares sales reps for these negotiations.
By providing clear guardrails and resources, reps can navigate these changes efficiently without unnecessary delays. Early communication about the contracting process and potential obstacles also helps set expectations and reduces end-stage confusion.
“If you have that checklist upfront, you would know to start asking about the security review or the security questions way at the beginning of the cycle instead of doing that at the end.” - David Chang
Jump to the clip for guidance on building a Trust Center for customer documentation.
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