Are your deals showing these warning signs?

Welcome back, sellers.

January is in full swing and customers are kicking off their 2026 plans. Which means your pipeline is likely a mixed bag: deals that rolled over from last year and new opportunities gaining momentum.

But not all deals that look promising end up living up to expectations. So in this issue of Stacked Seller, we’re covering the warning signs that tell you a deal is quietly dying – and what to do when you spot them.

Enjoy!

Unless you’re selling to SMB, deals rarely close with just one person involved. If your deal isn't multi-threaded, you're probably far from the finish line – especially if your primary contact is a lower-level title.

For example: you're working with Procurement, but they won't let you speak to the Technical team. Or you're selling to Marketing, but the Manager won't introduce you to the CMO.

Sometimes reps simply haven’t asked to bring others in. Other times, they’ve tried and been shut down. Either way, it’s got to change.

If you’re investing time and company resources into a deal, you need key stakeholders involved and aligned on the purchase. So be direct about the ask, and explain why it matters for their success, not just yours.

Early in a deal, timelines are easy to agree on. But as time goes on, urgency fades and actions often don’t line up to make that timeline a reality.

Security reviews don't get started. Legal hasn't seen the contract. The technical doc you sent two weeks ago still hasn't been reviewed.

This is one of the most telling signs a deal is dying.

Buyers who actually need your solution by a certain date will move heaven and earth to hit that timeline. They'll respond quickly, loop in stakeholders, and clear blockers.

So when you see a disconnect, push back and get clarity. Make sure you’re operating on the same timeline. If their priorities have shifted, you need to know so you can adjust yours.

Healthy deals have clear and specific next steps: “We'll review internally and get back to you by Friday with our questions.” or “Let’s meet next Tuesday to walk through the proposal.”

Dying deals sound like this: "Let me check with the team." or "I'll get back to you when I have an update."

When next steps are fuzzy, momentum disappears. So before ending a meeting, get crystal clear on what's happening next, who's doing it, and when.

And if things still feel vague, call it out directly.

Rescheduling happens as calendars get busy or emergencies come up. But when meetings get pushed repeatedly, it’s usually a signal.

The pattern usually looks like this: they reschedule last minute, apologize, promise to find time "soon," and then... it happens again. Meanwhile, you're forecasting the deal and holding your breath.

Here's the truth: some buyers would rather keep pushing meetings than admit this isn't a priority anymore.

When rescheduling becomes a pattern, give them permission to be honest so you can stop wasting time on a deal that isn’t real.

*Reply with your number. I’ll share the poll results in the next issue.