As sales recruiters, we know most sales deals don’t close. Some deals get very close to closing but fall apart at the last minute, and others are just horrible deals for both parties. Sometimes it’s better to walk away from a bad deal and lose out on the sale, rather than trying to close the deal and have issues afterwards.

Here are a number of situations and ways to walk away from a horrible sales deal:

1. Walk away before you get too deep

Some sales deals are just not worth pursuing. Sure, you have a quota to meet, but if a prospect is really not a great fit, don’t try to force it. You are better off stopping the sales process before you even get started and focusing your efforts on finding a more qualified prospect to pursue.

2. Always have a plan B

You can live or die on every deal you come across. The truth is no matter how good of a deal it may seem or how much of a sure thing you think it is, you always need a plan B. You need other prospects in the sale funnel.

When you have plan B, C, D, and so on, you don’t feel as pressured to close a deal, especially if the deal is going sour.

3. If something feels off, re-assess the deal

There is no shortage of deals that start out well and then take a turn for the worse. If you feel like something is off, your prospect has had a shift in demeanour or how they communicate, take a step back and re-assess the deal.

4. Kill the deal as soon as possible

If you suspect a deal is going south, don’t waste valuable time and effort trying to revive it. You’ll only create more frustration, and the payoff will not be worth the effort. You are better off moving on and exploring other opportunities.

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SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.