​​How to get out of a sales slump: proven strategies and expert advice

Riding high in April, shot down in May – that’s sales or, at least, that’s what people say.

Sales slumps happen, and even the sharpest sales pros and most resilient teams hit those slow patches where nothing seems to land, leads go quiet, and motivation takes a nosedive.

It’s frustrating. It’s demoralising. And it’s all too easy to start spinning your wheels.

But a slump isn’t a dead end; it’s a sign – a chance to reassess, recalibrate, and refocus your efforts where they’ll make the biggest difference.

Sometimes that means revisiting old leads or tightening up sales strategies. Other times it’s about shaking up your outreach, aligning more closely with marketing, or simply pausing to learn from what’s worked before.

Whether you’re navigating a seasonal slowdown, struggling with a patchy pipeline, or just not seeing the results you expected, this guide gives you 16 practical, proven strategies to help you break through the dip and build momentum again.

So, if your team’s energy is flagging or your targets are starting to feel out of reach, don’t panic. The solutions are often closer than you think.

Let’s get into it.

What is a sales slump?

A sales slump is a noticeable, often frustrating dip in your usual sales performance. Declining sales can sneak up slowly or hit like a wall, but either way, it feels like the deals have dried up, the leads have lost interest, and the momentum you were riding has mysteriously vanished.

Maybe you’re seeing fewer replies to outreach. Maybe your pipeline’s looking a little too lean for comfort. Or maybe your team is grinding harder than ever, with not much to show for it. Whatever the signs, a slump in sales can knock even the most experienced pros off balance.

Here’s the good news: a sales slump isn’t permanent.

It’s not a reflection of your sales rep’s ability, your value proposition, or your product. More often than not, it’s a sign that something in your approach, process, or market has shifted. And spotting the problem? That’s the first step toward fixing it.

The good news is, you’re not alone. Slumping sales are a common challenge in every industry. The key isn’t to panic – it’s to diagnose, adapt, and bounce back stronger. And that’s exactly what this guide has been written for.

Why do sales decline?

Sales slumps don’t happen in a vacuum. If your numbers are sliding, something’s shifted. The challenge is figuring out what’s changed.

Sometimes the cause can be internal, maybe your team’s struggling with burnout, your messaging isn’t landing, or your once-great sales process is due for a serious refresh.

Sometimes, it’s entirely out of your hands – think external factors, like seasonal slowdowns or changing buyer behaviour. 

You also need to remember that only around 5% of your target audience is actively in the market at any given time. However, 20–30% are researching, comparing, and forming opinions that influence future decisions. 

If you’re not consistently reaching out and adding those early-stage prospects to your intent pool, you’ll miss out when they’re ready to buy.

Here are five reasons your sales efforts might be lacking.

1. Outdated sales tactics

If you still rely on spray-and-pray outreach or scripts from five years ago, don’t be surprised if you’re met with radio silence.

Buyers are sharper (and more selective) than ever. What worked last quarter might already be stale today.

2. Lack of quality leads

No matter how slick your pitch is, it won’t move the needle if you’re talking to the wrong people. Slumping sales often trace back to a pipeline full of poor-fit prospects. It’s not just about more leads, it’s about better ones.

→ Learn how to win with lead scoring.

3. Seasonal slowdowns (hello, summer sales slump)

Certain industries hit a natural lull during summer and the festive period. If you’re seeing a decline in sales during these periods, it might be less about performance and more about timing. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and wait it out – there are smart ways to stay visible and ready.

It might feel logical to pause outreach during slow periods, but that move carries hidden costs. When you stop outreach, you’re not saving resources; you’re losing visibility and creating gaps that impact future pipeline and revenue. Consistency is key to staying top of mind when prospects are ready to engage.

4. Misaligned messaging

If your outreach doesn’t reflect your buyers’ current priorities, you’re going to get ghosted. Markets evolve fast, so your messaging needs to evolve faster. A sales decline can signal that your pitch deck needs a pulse check.

5. Internal blockers

Maybe your team’s overloaded. Maybe your CRM needs some work. Or maybe key handoffs between marketing and sales are breaking down. Whatever the case, operational drag kills momentum. Fix the friction, and results follow.

Bottom line? Whether it’s process problems or market shifts, the reasons for a sales decline are always worth investigating. Because once you know what’s dragging your numbers down, you’re already halfway to pulling them back up.

How to get out of a sales slump

Sales slumps happen. But they don’t have to become a permanent fixture. Here’s a practical, proactive approach to pulling yourself – or your team – out of a dip and back into forward motion.

1. Review what worked (and what didn’t)

Start by looking back. Where did things go right last year – and where did they fall apart? Are there patterns in the deals you lost or won? 

Take time to reflect on your sales process, from outreach to closing. It’s not a vanity project – it’s about understanding what actually drives results. The lessons are there. You just need to pause long enough to spot them.

2. Revisit old leads

You’ve got a goldmine sitting in your inbox and CRM. Prospective customers who ghosted you, lukewarm leads that fizzled, even proposals you thought were dead. The new year (or any new quarter) is a perfect excuse to restart those conversations.

Has anything changed on their end? Can you update them on new developments on your side? Pick up the thread – you never know who’s ready to buy.

3. Focus on appointment-setting

If closing deals is tough right now, shift the target. Instead of revenue goals, aim for booked calls, product demos, or coffee chats. This keeps the pipeline warm and gives sales professionals something tangible to work towards, even if those deals won’t close for another month or two.

Need a hand with this? We’ve got you covered. Sopro is a B2B appointment setting agency that cuts through the noise and gets your sales team in front of qualified prospects.

4. Refresh your prospecting approach

Now’s the time to go hunting. If your usual markets are quiet, explore new verticals, buyer personas, or territories. Ramp up your outreach, test new messaging, and rebuild your funnel for the months ahead. Think in 30-60-90 day cycles: what you do today pays off next quarter.

5. Lean into upselling and reactivation

Who already trusts you? Look to existing or lapsed customers. Can you deepen the relationship with an upgrade, add-on, or reactivation offer? These are warm conversations – and often faster closes – compared to starting from scratch.

6. Secure referrals

Referrals convert better, close faster, and stick around longer. But here’s the kicker: nearly 90% of salespeople never ask for them. If you have happy clients, now’s the time to get proactive. Be specific, make it easy, and if needed, incentivise the process. Just don’t forget to say thank you.

7. Leverage customer feedback

Your current customers are a direct line to what’s working – and what’s not. Use quiet periods to gather feedback and address customer concerns. What are they asking for? What’s frustrating them? Are there recurring worries that you could address with a product tweak or process change?

Acting on this insight does two things: it strengthens retention and gives you new angles to pitch in future sales conversations. Better yet, it shows customers you’re listening, which goes a long way in building trust.

8. Clean your data

Your CRM is only as powerful as the data in it. Use downtime to audit your database. Identify gaps, remove dead leads, and tag missed or mishandled opportunities. It’s not glamorous, but it will pay dividends.

9. Test your outreach

Are your emails being opened? Are your messages still landing with impact? Slower periods are perfect for trialing new subject lines, testing different CTAs, or getting creative with formats. Build a bank of battle-tested templates ready to deploy when the pace picks up.

10. Target your biggest accounts

Not all leads are equal. Identify your highest-value prospects and give them tailored attention. The same goes for your best existing customers. What would deepen their loyalty this year? These are the relationships worth investing in.

For help here, take a look at our B2B account-based marketing services. We pinpoint who to target, how to reach them, and what to say to pique their interest at the perfect moment.

11. Get marketing and sales aligned

Now’s the moment to sync up. What messages are landing? What does the content pipeline look like? Collaborate with marketing on campaigns, social strategy, and blog planning – especially if you’ve got gaps to fill or want to sharpen your positioning.

When inbound and outbound strategies support each other, their impact multiplies. Helpful content builds awareness, while direct outreach creates personal touchpoints that prompt action. This one-two combination keeps you visible and reduces friction when buyers are ready to move.

Find everything you need to know about inbound and outbound strategies in our guide: Inbound vs Outbound Marketing.

12. Build social proof

Reach out to happy clients for testimonials, reviews, or case studies. Most people are willing – they just need a nudge (and, ideally, a draft to sign off). This is low-hanging fruit that strengthens future pitches and sharpens your brand credibility.

13. Look for best practices and share them

Someone on your sales team is probably still performing. Find out why. What are they doing differently, and how can the rest of the team apply it? A good idea buried in a silo is no use to anyone. Share the wins.

14. Keep the energy up

Morale matters. Use this time for team events, informal get-togethers, or even short breaks to recharge. It’s not a luxury – it’s a productivity driver. Happy teams close more deals.

15. Incentivise the right behaviour

If hitting full targets feels unrealistic during a slump, shift the goalposts. Create micro-goals or mini-challenges – like most demos booked or most reactivated leads – and reward them. It keeps energy levels and sales motivation up.

16. Play the long game

Not everyone’s ready to buy today. That’s fine. Log the dates they’re back from holiday, note any budget shifts, and follow up like clockwork. A ‘no’ now doesn’t mean ‘never’ – it often just means ‘not yet’.

Consistency helps build familiarity and trust over time. Each relevant, well-timed touchpoint adds another layer of credibility. So, when your prospect moves into buying mode, you’re already the name they remember.

A top tip here is to leverage automation where possible. Following up on 1,001 opportunities is impossible without the help of your tech stack, so explore our expert’s recommendations on the best B2B sales tools you need to have in your arsenal.

How to prevent future sales slumps

Sales slumps might be inevitable from time to time, but they don’t have to catch you off guard. With the right habits and systems in place, you can spot the early warning signs, steady the ship faster, and even avoid the worst of it altogether.

Here are a few tried-and-tested ways to futureproof your pipeline and keep the momentum going:

1. Build pipeline discipline into your routine

Don’t wait for the funnel to run dry before topping it up. Encourage your team to treat prospecting as a non-negotiable, ongoing activity, not just something to do when things are quiet. A healthy pipeline today means fewer surprises three months from now.

Need a helping hand? We’ve got your back. Read our expert guide on managing your sales pipeline for all the tips you need.

2. Review performance regularly, not just in crisis mode

Slumps can feel like they come out of nowhere. But often, there are signals in the data if you’re looking for them. Monthly or quarterly reviews can help you catch market trends early, whether that’s a dip in conversion rates, fewer demos booked, or lower engagement in outreach.

3. Document and share what works

When it comes to sales success, some reps consistently outperform the rest, even when the market’s slow. But don’t leave that knowledge locked in one person’s head.

Instead, capture their process, tools, and techniques, and turn them into resources the whole team can use. Call recordings, email templates, and objection-handling tactics – complete sales excellence.

4. Keep your sales and marketing teams aligned

Sales and marketing should be rowing in the same direction, not pulling apart. When these two teams are in sync, you’re far more likely to maintain a steady stream of engaged, well-qualified prospects.

Get your teams singing from the same sheet with our complete guide to sales and marketing alignment.

5. Invest in the right tools and training

Sometimes a slump reveals skill gaps or system limitations that were easy to overlook during busier times. Use what you’ve learned to identify areas for improvement – whether that’s better CRM practices, smarter automation, or giving your team the training they need to close more confidently.

6. Stay close to your customers

Your existing customers can tell you a lot about what’s working and what’s not. Keep those feedback loops open, pay attention to recurring pain points, and use that insight to evolve your pitch, improve your offer, and reduce churn. That’s long-term stability in the making.

7. Plan for seasonality

Start planning ahead if your business is affected by predictable dips (like summer slowdowns or end-of-year lulls). Front-load outreach, lock in appointments in advance, and create seasonal offers to keep things ticking over, even when the calendar’s working against you.

Need proof? Look at the data in our Gaining The Competitive Edge Report: businesses that paused outreach over the summer saw a significant lag in new leads and missed out on valuable future deals. Staying visible, especially when others go quiet, can be your biggest advantage.

Check out our Summer Sales Survival Guide to keep your pipeline as hot as the weather*. 

*Sopro cannot take responsibility for the British weather, but we can live in hope.

Tips for sales managers: Helping your team through a sales slump 

Sales slumps don’t just drain your pipeline – they wear down your salespeople, too. 

The numbers are slow. The meetings dry up. Confidence dips. And before you know it, your team’s usual energy has been replaced with quiet frustration and creeping self-doubt.

This is the cynical cycle of sales slumps: the more demoralised your team becomes, the harder it is to bounce back, and the longer the slump drags on.

As a sales leader, it’s your job to steady the ship and support your team through the rough patch. That means recognising a slump’s emotional toll – and stepping in with structure, empathy, and motivation when it matters most. 

Here are our top tips for helping your team stay motivated and ready to bounce back during a slump: 

1. Reframe the situation

Start by acknowledging the slump without catastrophising it. Slumps are temporary and completely normal. Frame it as a phase to work through, not a sign of failure. 

Your tone here sets the pace for your team’s recovery, so don’t put too much pressure on your team to bounce back.

2. Set smaller, daily goals

When long-term wins feel out of reach, focus on what your team can control: daily actions. Sending five new outreach messages, making two follow-up calls, or having one quality conversation – giving your team small, achievable goals helps restore momentum and rebuild confidence.

3. Celebrate the small stuff

Recognise and reward effort, not just outcomes. A great email, a re-engaged lead, a clever subject line that earns a reply – highlight and celebrate them. You’re reminding your team that they’re still making progress, even if deals aren’t closing yet.

4. Revisit the script

In quieter periods, sales scripts can start to sound tired, both to prospects and the people saying them. Use the time to refresh messaging, test new angles, and collaborate as a team on what’s working (and what’s not). A change is as good as rest.

5. Keep your 1:1s personal

Don’t let pipeline reviews dominate every conversation. Use one-to-ones to check how your team is feeling, not just how they’re performing. Listen. Encourage. Coach. And remember: a struggling sales exec might not always shout for help.

6. Make space for team wins

Group morale matters. Keep spirits high by sharing good news across the team – even if it’s from another department. A client renewal, a product update, a glowing testimonial – it all helps reinforce the value of your work.

7. Look after the long game

Burnout won’t help anyone. Encourage breaks, protect lunch hours, and resist the urge to pile on pressure. This isn’t about lowering standards but sustaining performance for when the market turns.

Expert Q&A

Sales slumps are never fun, but you don’t have to suffer in silence. Our experts have answered your burning questions about declining sales to get you moving in the right direction.

1. What mindset shifts can help me break out of a sales slump quickly?

One of the most important mindset shifts is to see consistency as your competitive advantage, even when results feel slow. Many teams pause or panic when lead volume dips, but the brands that win stay the course. 

As our CEO, Ryan Welmans, puts it:

“In the age of complex buyer journeys and intent signals, stop-start outreach doesn’t work… You might need to hold your nerve when results feel slower. But the teams that stay the course are the ones that see the real rewards.”

Sales momentum compounds. Trust takes time. Shifting your mindset from “quick win” to long-term strategy is critical.

2. When sales are slow, should I take a break from outreaching or push through?

Push through. Never pause. The data is crystal clear: when companies stop outreach, especially during slower months like summer – the impact isn’t immediate, but it hits hard later.

“When you pause outreach, you don’t just stop leads – you lose visibility, momentum, and timing… And by the time [prospects] do show intent, it’s often too late to catch up.”

In other words, stopping outreach creates a lag in both lead flow and sales. The brands that keep going, even when it’s quiet, gain ground while others go dark.

3. Should I focus on lead generation or demand generation when working to get out of a sales slump?

You need both, but lead generation through consistent outbound outreach is what gets results moving again fastest. 

Demand generation (e.g. content and brand awareness) builds future opportunities, but lead generation puts real prospects into your pipeline now.

Our report shows that outbound outreach amplifies demand gen efforts by reducing friction:

“Inbound raises awareness… outbound reduces friction by creating direct, personal touchpoints… Pause outbound, and your entire marketing mix becomes less effective.”

So, to break a slump: double down on outreach while continuing to nurture interest through content.

4. Who’s responsible for getting businesses out of sales slumps: the marketing or sales team?

Both. Together. Our report highlights that when inbound and outbound work together, the results are far greater than either on their own. Marketing builds awareness and trust, while sales creates action and conversion.

“Sales and marketing should be rowing in the same direction… Outreach reduces friction by making it easier for prospects to engage.”

If either team disengages, the system breaks down. Coordination between the two is key to recovery and growth.

5. When are the most common times of year for a sales slump?

Common slump periods include:

• Summer months (July–August)
• End-of-year holidays (December)

The report calls out these times explicitly, noting that many teams pause activity due to perceived seasonality, but the smart move is to keep going:

“Summer, December, or industry-specific seasonality are all common times when teams pause outreach… But what follows the pause is always more important than what prompted it.”

6. I’m in a slump, but have heard mixed opinions about cold calling scripts vs routines. Which is better?

While the Competitive Edge report doesn’t directly compare scripts to routines, it strongly supports consistency and adaptability in outreach. 

Routines that offer structure are more effective than rigid scripts, especially when paired with intent signals and personalised messaging.

“B2B deals aren’t made after one message… It takes repeated, relevant contact to build familiarity and credibility.”

So rather than rely on one-size-fits-all cold call scripts, build a flexible routine with:

• Timely follow-ups
• Personalised messaging
• Multi-channel outreach (e.g. LinkedIn, email, calls)

A consistent, responsive routine outperforms a static script every time.

→ Have a question about sales slumps we’ve not answered here? Submit your question to our team for an expert answer. 

Break the slump cycle with Sopro

As we said right at the start of this guide, sales slumps happen. And for a number of reasons. But this doesn’t mean they need to stall your growth, 

With the right mindset, a little structure, and a few smart moves from those in the know, you can turn sales slumps into sales surges. 

If you’re serious about this, you might need some backup. 

At Sopro, we connect businesses like yours with the right prospects at the right time. Our teams of experts personalise outreach and create content that grabs attention and encourages prospects through the pipeline. 

Explore our suite of B2B lead generation services and book a demo to see how we can help you.