Run a loss review on a deal I just lost
An honest look at why the deal was lost, what signals you missed, and what to change on the next one.
The prompt
Help me run an honest loss review on a deal I just lost.
Deal summary: [BUYER, USE CASE, SIZE, LENGTH OF CYCLE]
Stated reason for the loss: [WHAT THE BUYER SAID]
Who won: [COMPETITOR / status quo / built in-house / no decision]
Timeline of key moments: [FIRST CALL, DEMO, PROPOSAL, KEY EMAILS, WHEN IT TURNED]
Stakeholders and their stance: [DETAILS]
What I believe went wrong: [MY VIEW]
Feedback from the buyer, if any: [PASTE]
Work through:
1. The stated reason vs. the likely real reason. "Price" often means value wasn't established; "timing" often means no compelling event.
2. Early warning signs I may have missed, tied to specific moments in the timeline.
3. Qualification gaps: what we didn't know that we should have.
4. Which parts were in my control and which weren't.
5. Whether this deal should have been disqualified earlier, and when.
Return:
1. A short loss summary (5 sentences) suitable for my CRM and manager.
2. Root causes, ranked.
3. Three specific changes to how I run my next similar deal.
4. A gracious closing email to the buyer that asks for feedback and keeps the relationship.
5. A follow-up date to check in, if it makes sense (e.g. before their contract renewal).
Be direct but fair; don't assign blame where my notes don't support it.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Sales prompts
What to fill in
- BUYER, USE CASE, SIZE, LENGTH OF CYCLE
- WHAT THE BUYER SAID
- COMPETITOR / status quo / built in-house / no decision
- FIRST CALL, DEMO, PROPOSAL, KEY EMAILS, WHEN IT TURNED
- DETAILS
- MY VIEW
- PASTE
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
Related prompts
- Build a sales territory or account planAllocates accounts, sets priorities, and plans coverage and targets for a territory.
- Prepare a price reduction conversation for a stale listingA data-backed diagnosis of why a listing isn't selling and a respectful script to recommend a price or strategy change.
- Turn a SaaS pilot or proof of concept into a paid contractA pilot plan with agreed success criteria, a conversion path to a paid contract, and the check-ins that keep it on track.
- Build a mutual action plan with a buyer to close on timeA shared, dated close plan with the buyer covering every step to go-live, written so the buyer will actually use it.