If you’ve been in sales long enough, you’ve heard the phrase, “It’s a numbers game.” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: more numbers in your pipeline don’t guarantee more wins. In fact, they can do the opposite — creating a false sense of security while clogging your team’s focus with deals that were never going to close.
At Global Performance Group, our recent survey of over 350 senior B2B sales and enablement leaders found that 90% of sales leaders admit they’re not fully confident their teams consistently pursue well-qualified opportunities — a gap that can derail both pipeline and forecast accuracy.
That’s not just a pipeline problem. That’s a win rates problem.
Focus on the Right Deals
When we work with sales teams to improve win rates, we always start here: are you going after the right deals in the first place? That means defining and aligning on your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) — and not just at a high level.
Too many teams treat ICP like a static description in a marketing deck. In reality, it’s a living, breathing filter that should guide every qualification conversation. If it’s not being used actively in the field, it’s just wallpaper.
Your ICP should answer three critical questions:
- Do they have the problem we solve? This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often teams pursue accounts where the “pain” is either minimal or already being addressed elsewhere.
- Will they value our solution enough to act? The best prospects not only recognize the problem — they see solving it as a priority and are willing to commit resources to it.
- Can we win here — and win at the right margin? A deal that requires deep discounting or concessions just to get in the door will erode profitability and tie up resources that could have gone to higher-value opportunities.
And here’s where I see so many teams stumble: they say they’re using ICP, but they don’t enforce it. Without that discipline, reps default to chasing activity over outcomes. They fill the pipeline with “maybes” that linger for months, eating up time, attention, and forecast credibility.
The Discipline of Disqualification
High win rates are built on ruthless prioritization. If a deal doesn’t fit your ICP, it shouldn’t be in your pipeline — no matter how tempting it is to “just see where it goes.” Disqualifying early is not losing. It’s making space for the deals you can actually win.
One thing I stress to sales leaders: win rates aren’t just about how well you close. They’re about what you choose to open. If you start with the wrong opportunities, it doesn’t matter how good your sales process is — you’re running uphill with the wind in your face.
The best teams don’t just know their ICP; they operationalize it. They train reps to test for fit early and consistently. They align marketing, SDRs, and account executives so everyone is chasing the same kind of business. And they use ICP as a common language between sales and leadership, ensuring that pipeline reviews focus on quality — not just quantity.
Our survey data tells the story: when teams tighten ICP discipline, they improve both win rates and forecast accuracy. The pipeline stops lying, because it’s filled with deals that belong there.
Bottom line: Improving win rates isn’t about adding more to the top of the funnel. It’s about making sure what goes in belongs there in the first place. Get ICP right, and you’ve already won half the battle.
Want to Improve Your Win Rates?
If you’d like to explore how your team can sharpen qualification, focus on the deals that truly matter, and drive better outcomes for their customers, get in touch with Global Performance Group. We help sales leaders turn pipeline quality into predictable results.
Today’s post is by Harry Kendlbacher, CEO of Global Performance Group and host of the B2B Sales Trends podcast.
