How fast a prospect is moving through the sales cycle and whether that pace aligns with what you forecast.
Slow deal velocity is a leading indicator of a dead deal long before your close date arrives. If a prospect who was responsive three weeks ago suddenly stops returning messages, or if they keep pushing the decision meeting "to next month," your forecast is lying to you. Deal velocity tells you whether the buy is still real or just stalled.
You've been working a deal for eight weeks and the buying committee is supposed to decide next Friday. But in discovery, the economic buyer tells you they want a pilot first, which "would probably take a few months." Your velocity just dropped from weeks to months. That close date you've been carrying is fiction.
Or: You're three weeks in, the champion is moving fast, stakeholders are aligned, and you're in the contract review stage. That's healthy velocity for the deal size. Keep the pressure on.
AEs lock into a close date and defend it even when the deal is moving slower. Instead of resetting your forecast when you learn new information (like "we need legal review and that takes six weeks"), you tell your manager "it's still on track" and get surprised when it slips. Track velocity by asking: Are meetings happening on schedule? Is the buying committee responding? Has anything in their timeline changed? When the answer is no, your forecast should move.
Deal velocity is a check on your Mutual Action Plan. If both sides committed to specific milestones and they're falling behind, that's your signal to revisit the plan and ask what's blocking momentum.
Part of our guide to Discovery calls.
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