Why Your Deals Are Stalling and How to Fix It (Ask Jeb)

What It Covers

Jeb Blount diagnoses why deals stall at mid-funnel stages when selling into education, identifying consensus-builder personality types and risk aversion as root causes, and prescribes specific upfront process strategies to prevent stalls before they occur.

Key Questions Answered

• •Consensus-Builder Profiling: Education buyers over-index on consensus-builder personality types who request endless information ("let me see more") but avoid decisions. Recognizing this pattern early prevents salespeople from misreading engagement as buying intent when prospects are simply gathering data indefinitely.
• •Upfront Process Mapping: Define the full decision-making process in stage one or two, not after stalls occur. Ask prospects directly: "Last time you invested in a tool like this, how did you make that decision?" This surfaces stakeholders, timelines, and internal approval steps before momentum is lost.
• •Backwards Planning from Launch Date: Ask prospects when they would ideally deploy the product, then map required steps backwards to create a shared timeline. This converts vague interest into a concrete schedule and surfaces objections early, replacing open-ended follow-up cycles with defined milestones.
• •Effort-Matching Qualification: One education-focused client uses a written upfront agreement requiring both parties to commit resources and access before proceeding. If prospects refuse to sign, the rep disqualifies and moves on, eliminating years of circular engagement with low-intent buyers.