What Football Free Agency Can Teach You About Your Pipeline

Yesterday started a wild wild west like turn of events…

NFL free agency opened and it was an absolute frenzy. Signings. Trades. Cuts. Teams scrambling to upgrade their rosters before their competitors did.

Every post on my feed was another new move/signing/re-signing...

This is exactly what most sales reps refuse to do with their pipeline.

The best teams in free agency do five things that most reps won't.

Let me show you what I mean.

1. They cut dead weight.

When a player isn't performing, teams don't keep them around out of loyalty or hope. They cut them. They move on. They free up the roster spot for someone who can actually help them win.

But reps? They keep dead deals in their pipeline for months.

"They said they were interested." "We had a great conversation." "I just need to follow up one more time."

No. The deal is dead. It's been dead. You're not being persistent. You're being stubborn.

Been there done that hehe, my wife might say I still do ;)

Cut it. Move on. Free up your time and energy for deals that can actually close.

2. They move fast.

Free agency is a race. The team that hesitates loses their top target to a competitor who moved faster.

Same in sales.

While you're "waiting to hear back" or "giving them space" or "following up next week," your competitor is sitting in their office right now closing the deal.

Last night I was on a plane home from Denver and the guy sitting next to me on his computer pulled open his inbox, and one of the emails I saw him reading said this, “time kills all deals.”

Yes, I was snoopinnn’

Speed wins. Not recklessness. Speed.

If you know what the next step is, take it. Don't wait. Don't hesitate. Move.

3. They know their needs.

The best teams don't chase every big name player in free agency. They know exactly what position they need to fill and they go after those specific players.

But most reps? They chase everything.

Every lead. Every demo. Every conversation. Whether it fits or not.

You don't need more deals. You need the RIGHT deals.

Know what you're actually hunting for. Know what fits your product, your timeline, your ideal customer profile. Then go after those deals hard and ignore the rest.

4. They know when to walk away.

Teams let players walk when the price isn't right or the fit isn't there. They don't overpay just to make a move.

Reps do the opposite. They keep chasing deals that were never going to work.

Bad fit? Chase it anyway. Unrealistic budget? Chase it anyway. No decision making authority? Chase it anyway.

And then they wonder why nothing closes.

The best reps qualify HARD upfront. If it's not a fit, they walk. They don't waste time trying to force it.

5. They prioritize fit over talent.

Teams don't just sign the best available player. They sign the player who fits their system.

A hall of fame linebacker doesn't help if you already have three great linebackers and your secondary is trash.

Same in sales.

Just because a company is big or well known doesn't mean they're a good fit for your solution.

Stop chasing logo deals that don't fit. Start qualifying for mutual value. Does your solution actually solve their problem? Do they have the budget, timeline, and authority to move forward?

If not, it doesn't matter how impressive the company name is. It's not going to close.

Here's the adjustment.

Football free agency teaches you something most reps never learn:

Managing your pipeline isn't about holding on. It's about knowing when to let go.

That bad relationship you were in for years, and you KNOW you should’ve let it go, yeah. Same concept.

Cut the dead deals. Move fast on the live ones. Know what you're actually hunting for. Walk away when the fit isn't right. Qualify for value, not vanity.

Here's what you can do this week.

Open your pipeline right now.

Look at every deal that's been sitting there for more than 30 days.

Ask yourself one question, If this deal showed up today, would I chase it?

If the answer is no, if you wouldn't START chasing this deal today knowing what you know now, then why are you still chasing it?

Cut it. Move on. Free up the roster spot.

The Model: Free Agency Lessons for Your Pipeline

Lesson 1 - Cut Dead Weight - Stop holding onto dead deals out of hope. If it's not performing, move on.

Lesson 2 - Move fast - While you wait, competitors close. Speed wins.

Lesson 3 - Know your needs - Don't chase everything. Know what fits and hunt those deals hard.

Lesson 4 - Walk away - If the price or fit isn't right, don't force it. Qualify hard upfront.

Lesson 5 - Fit over talent - Logo deals don't matter if they don't fit. Qualify for mutual value.

The best teams know when to move, hold, and walk away.

So should you.

See you next week, Follow Up Fam.

Manny "That Follow Up Guy" Vargas