You’ve launched a sustainability-focused product—and… sales just aren’t moving.
Let’s talk about the first step: understanding what’s really going on. Where should we begin?
In this post, we’ll walk you through a simple, practical framework to identify where your product is getting blocked in the buying process. It’s the first—and most important—step before you decide whether to fix it, reposition it, or walk away. Without this clarity, everything else is just guesswork.
Step One: Know Where It's Stuck.
Sometimes it’s the pitch. Sometimes it’s the buyer. Sometimes it’s a perfect fit—for the wrong moment.
We’ve seen it again and again: the launch checks all the boxes, but sales just don’t move. When that happens, the first thing we do isn’t rewrite the marketing or adjust pricing (seriously — never start by lowering the price.). We diagnose where the product is actually getting stuck.
Let’s walk through a real-world example to show how this works.
A Promising Launch That Stalled—for Three Very Different Reasons.
Last year, we worked with a mid-sized packaging manufacturer that had just launched a new recyclable secondary packaging solution for food and beverage producers. The product met all upcoming packaging regulations, had lifecycle data to support its sustainability claims, and generated decent buzz at a major industry trade fair.
But three months post-launch, sales were flat. There were prospects in the pipeline—but deals weren’t closing. So we stepped in to help figure out what was going wrong.
We reviewed early conversations across three active prospects. Each one had stalled—but for completely different reasons.
“It looks great, but the numbers just don’t work for us right now.”
This came from a food processing company already using a similar format. The team assumed price was the barrier. But after reviewing sales calls and materials, we found the real issue: the business case wasn’t resonating. There were real operational savings—but they weren’t being clearly communicated.
What we did: We collaborated with sales and product teams to build a one-page savings calculator that highlighted reduced breakage rates and lower waste disposal costs. Within two weeks, the deal moved forward—at full price.
“We just need procurement to review—then quality control, then compliance…”
This beverage client had shown strong interest during the demo but had been “reviewing” for over six weeks. We traced the delay to one core issue: perceived risk. The buyer didn’t feel confident championing the change without broader internal support.
What we did: We designed a 90-day pilot program and a tailored internal rollout plan. We also helped the buyer draft their internal case for change. The deal was approved the following month.
“Talk to us next quarter.” / “Let’s reconnect after budgeting…”
This came from a large private-label retailer. The initial outreach went to procurement, who didn’t see any urgency.
What we did: We shifted the sales narrative and introduced the product to the ESG team, connecting it to upcoming packaging legislation and the retailer’s public sustainability commitments. Within three weeks, we had a new internal champion—and a marketing-led pilot underway.
Same Product. Three Different Frictions.
Each account looked promising. Each one stalled. But for completely different reasons:
- One lacked a clear business case.
- One got caught in internal risk aversion.
- One was a case of wrong door, wrong message.
None of this was visible from the CRM. It only became clear after a **Clarity Diagnosis** revealed the actual source of resistance in each deal.
👉 Ready to turn your product around? The sooner, the better.
Our 3-Week Eco-Product Clarity Service gives you a proven structure to uncover what’s really going on, align your team, and chart a smart, confident path forward. Schedule a Clarity Call Today.
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