Is Your Sales Pipeline Healthy Enough to Hit Plan?
As we approach the mid-year mark, every Chief Revenue Officer is asking the same hard question: Are we on pace to hit plan? Your sales pipeline isn't just a collection of deals. It’s the lifeblood of your revenue plan — and its health is a direct reflection of your team’s ability to deliver results. Whether you're ahead, on track, or behind, now is the time for a strategic assessment.
Pipeline Health Check: What Every CRO Should Be Asking
Coverage Ratios: Do you have enough pipeline to cover the remaining quota? A general rule of thumb is 3x to 4x coverage, but quality matters more than raw volume. It’s not just about how much pipeline exists — it’s whether it’s real.
Stage Progression: Are deals moving at the right pace through each stage? Stalled opportunities often mask a bloated pipeline and create false confidence. Look for bottlenecks and assess how consistently reps are converting from early-stage to close.
Deal Quality: Is your team pursuing the right accounts? High-value ICP alignment and intent signals are stronger indicators of future revenue than rep optimism or anecdotal potential.
Mid-Year Reality Check: Where Do You Stand?
If You’re Ahead of Plan: Double down on what's working. Identify patterns across top performers, verticals, or motions. Use this insight to replicate success across underperforming segments.
If You’re on Track: Now is the time to pressure test the second half. Do you have enough pipeline generated to support Q3 and Q4? Are Q3 deals still in early stages? Consider reallocating resources to accelerate pipeline velocity.
If You’re Behind Plan: Don’t rely on a heroic Q4. Get surgical now. Audit your pipeline by segment and stage, trim dead weight, and focus your team on high-conviction opportunities. Revisit deal inspection rigor — both at the manager and rep level.
Strategic Moves CROs Should Make Now
Focus Your Teams: Guide reps toward the highest-potential accounts using buyer intent data, firmographic fit, and recent engagement. Trim non-ICP distractions. This is the time for precision, not volume.
Revisit Forecast Discipline: Strengthen your forecast methodology. Forecast risk early and often. Instill a culture of honesty over hope. Ensure that frontline managers are not just aggregating rep inputs but actually challenging assumptions.
Fuel the Back Half: Launch targeted pipeline generation campaigns now, especially for Q4 coverage. Marketing and SDRs need clarity on ICP priorities and messaging that reflects urgency.
Lean Into AI and Revenue Intelligence: Platforms like Shift Up AI can give you real-time visibility into opportunity health, coach reps more effectively, and identify which accounts show true buying signals. Use technology not to replace judgment, but to improve it.
The Bottom Line
As a CRO, your role at mid-year is to zoom out and act decisively. Pipeline is not static — it requires continuous inspection, refinement, and focus. Whether you're ahead or playing catch-up, the moves you make right now will define your Q4.
Don’t wait for the end of the quarter to course-correct. Get your team aligned, sharpen your focus on pipeline quality, and make bold adjustments while there’s still time to outperform.
Looking to upgrade how you evaluate and execute on pipeline? ShiftUp helps CROs and revenue teams identify the right accounts, sharpen deal execution, and close the gap between forecast and actuals — faster.
