Deal Review Playbook | Follow This 6 Step Process

2 min read

It's the end of the quarter...

your pipeline looks shaky, and your CEO keeps asking for updates.

Now it's your turn to find which deal is dead and which alive.

but no stress.

Here's the 6 step Deal Review Process.

Step 1: The 15-Minute Priority Sort

Let's be honest...

you don't have time to chew through every deal.

Grab a coffee and sort by:

Closing date (what could still close this quarter?)
Deal size (where's the most money?)

This step alone shows you where to invest your energy.

The rest can wait.

Step 2: The Communication Check

Here's where it gets really interesting:

When did your sales team last speak with the customer?
Is a specific next meeting on the calendar?

No contact in the last 14 days and no fixed appointment?

Then stop counting this deal in your forecast.

It's on life support.

Step 3: The Warning Check

Our system immediately shows you which deals are on the edge:

One warning? Okay, keep an eye on it
Two warnings? Time to get active
Three or more? Be honest – this deal is probably dead

The data doesn't lie.

With 3 warnings, the closing probability drops below dramatically.

Don't fool yourself.

Step 4: The Warning Sign Analysis

Address these 9 killers immediately:

No concrete next steps – "We'll get back to you" means "We're not buying"
Single contact – Your champion gets promoted and your deal is gone
Unknown buying process – You're in the dark? Good luck with that
No real pain point – "Would be nice" doesn't open wallets
Missing decision maker – Your contact has no signing authority? Ouch
Pricing discussions postponed – Classic sign of "not really interested"
Slow communication – Deals with momentum have rhythm
Competition mentioned – Time to change the rules of the game
No urgency – Without "why now" it remains "someday maybe"

Step 5: The Action Plan

Now it gets concrete:

Set 1-3 specific actions for each at-risk deal
Set a 48-hour deadline – not next week, NOW
Every action must be tangible: "I'm calling the VP today at 2pm"

No more vague "I'll follow up" statements.

Your team leaves the meeting with a battle plan, not a wish list.

Step 6: The Weekly Scorecard

Track which warnings were cleared and which deals are moving.

The effect?

Fewer "surprise" losses
More accurate forecasts
Larger average deal volumes

Conclusion

Quarter-end doesn't have to be a nightmare.

With this process, you immediately identify which deals are still salvageable and which ones you should remove from your forecast.

Deal reviews aren't a tedious obligation

They're your last line of defense against a missed quarter.

Because Forecasts Shouldn't Be Guessing Games.

WEEKLY SALES TACTICS, DATA & RESEARCH.