Missed Quota Series: Your Deal Didn't Die, Tariffs Put It on Ice | Donald C. Kelly - 1995

Apr 20, 2026

They dig into how tariffs and external events can freeze deals and what to do when progress halts. They outline creating a one-page cost-of-inaction to make delays tangible. They suggest asking what must change to reignite priorities instead of pushing timing. They stress staying visible with useful updates so you are first in line when opportunities thaw.

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ANECDOTE

Manufacturer Deal Frozen By Tariff Pressure

A mid-sized manufacturer paused a $250,000 endpoint security deal because tariff-driven import costs forced the CFO to freeze non-essential spending.
Donald C. Kelly uses this concrete example to illustrate how external events can 'ghost' deals even when champions remain engaged.

ADVICE

Create A One Page Cost Of Inaction

Build a one-page cost-of-inaction that quantifies risks like breach costs and reputational damage for your prospect.
Donald C. Kelly recommends including concrete data (e.g., IBM's $4.8M average breach cost) so the CISO can sell it internally to the CFO.

ADVICE

Ask What Needs To Change Not When

Replace 'When can we start?' with 'What needs to happen for this to be a priority again?' to uncover real blockers and open dialogue with CFO and CISO.
Asking that question surfaces budget, timing, or internal priorities so you can help address them.

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You’re feeling the impact of the tariffs, aren’t you? They keep your deals from moving forward. Luckily, I came up with three ways to move those tariff blocks out of the way and make everything move in your favor.

1. Show Them What It’s Costing to Wait

When deals stall, it’s easy for companies to pause spending and focus on what feels urgent right now. But waiting comes with a cost.
Instead of pushing harder, help them see what happens if nothing changes. What does it cost the business to delay? What risks are they taking on by doing nothing?
When you lay that out clearly, the conversation shifts. It is no longer just about spending money. It becomes about avoiding a bigger loss.

2. Ask What Needs to Change, Not “When”

Most sellers follow up with one question: “When can we move forward?” That question does not move the deal.
A better approach is to ask, “What needs to happen for this to become a priority again?”
Now you open up a real conversation. You start to understand what is actually blocking the deal, whether it is budget, timing, or internal pressure. Once you know that, you can position yourself to help move things forward.

3. Stay Present So You’re First When It Opens Back Up

Sometimes there is nothing you can do at the moment. The deal is simply frozen. That does not mean you disappear.
Stay in motion. Check in, share insights, and send relevant updates that keep you top of mind without being pushy.
When things start moving again, the seller who stayed present is usually the one who gets the deal.

“Delays don’t kill deals. Ignoring the cost of waiting does.” - Donald C. Kelly

Resources

Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
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Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.