The Ticking Pipeline Time Bomb

As April approaches, which for many companies marks the first month of their new sales year, a cold steely realisation dawns.

For it is at this point, that many awaken to the consequences of their selling related activities over the preceding months.

In February and March, opportunities which were only ever pipe-dreams were qualified out, along with a few deals which felt like indigestion – just when you thought they’d gone away they kept reappearing. Finally deals were closed, some brought in early – you know the script I’m sure.

As a young man I recall the “February / March Principle” being explained to me using the analogy of transporting a leaky old bucket, full of water, from one side of a street to the other. As you walked water spilled over the top (deals being qualified out early), sprayed out the sides (deals being qualified out late) and drained out the holes in the bottom (deals being won or lost). Upon arrival at your destination (the start of the new sales year) you looked in the bucket… Guess what? Empty!

In short the necessity to replenish your forecast with new opportunities or refilling the bucket was sacrificed on the altar of year-end achievement.

In such situations, the collective sigh of organisational relief rapidly gives way to the reality that your company’s sales forecast is truly woeful & so the cycle recommences. Discussions around doing things differently, special incentives, a revitalised commitment to personal development plans, the arrival of new staff & new thinking… “ Plus ça change plus c’est la même chose.”

Leo Tolstoy said, “ everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” 

In today’s evolving business environment it’s easy to be swept along on a tide of growing market opportunity, organisational change and cultural evolution.

There is however one unavoidable truth. Though everything around you is changing - if you don’t, you’ll be facing the same issues again next year.

Or worse!