Sales Dictionary
Closed-Lost
Definition
A deal status indicating that a potential sale was not successfully completed.
Deep Dive
Closed-Lost is a deal status within a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system or sales pipeline that signifies a potential sale was not successfully completed, meaning the prospect ultimately decided not to purchase the product or service from your company. This status marks the end of a sales opportunity that did not result in revenue, representing a missed conversion after initial engagement and often significant investment of sales effort.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1A sales representative marking a deal "Closed-Lost" in the CRM because the prospect explicitly stated they chose a competitor's solution
- 2A software company classifying a free trial user as "Closed-Lost" after they provided feedback that the product lacked a critical feature they needed
- 3A B2B deal failing to close because the prospect's company underwent a budget cut and postponed all new investments.
Related Terms
Sales FunnelSales PipelineLead NurturingLost Opportunity