Sales and MarketingSales Forecasting and Pipeline Discipline
Sales forecasts are usually wrong in a consistent direction, and the organisation responds by adding a discount to the number rather than fixing what produced it. This course fixes the input. Delegates work through pipeline stages defined by what the customer has done rather than by how the salesperson feels, since a stage based on optimism cannot be forecast from. Entry and exit criteria for each stage follow. Deal inspection is covered: the questions that reveal whether a deal is real, and the answers that mean it is not. Weighting, coverage ratios and the arithmetic behind a credible forecast are addressed. Forecast categories and commit discipline follow. Pipeline health beyond the current quarter is covered, including the gap that only appears two quarters out. Handling a forecast miss is addressed. The course closes on reporting to an executive and on forecasting when history is short.
Course objectives
- Define pipeline stages by customer action rather than seller sentiment
- Set entry and exit criteria for every stage
- Inspect a deal with questions that reveal whether it is real
- Apply weighting and coverage ratios to build a credible forecast
- Use forecast categories and hold commit discipline
- Read pipeline health two quarters out, not just this one
- Handle a miss and report a forecast to an executive
Who should attend
- Sales managers and regional sales leaders
- Sales operations and revenue analysts
- Commercial directors accountable for a number
- Business development managers running their own pipeline
- Finance business partners supporting a sales function
Course outline
- 01Wrong in a consistent direction
- 02Stages defined by customer action
- 03Entry and exit criteria
- 04Deal inspection questions
- 05Weighting and coverage ratios
- 06Forecast categories and commit discipline
- 07Pipeline health two quarters out
- 08Handling a miss and reporting upward
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 September to 1 October 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Classroom | R11,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 29 to 30 October 2026 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Classroom | USD 795 per delegate | Register Now |
| 10 to 11 December 2026 | Online | Online | R6,500 per delegate | Register Now |
| 13 to 14 January 2027 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R11,950 per delegate | Register Now |