Tariffs, Turbulence, and the Secret Weapon for Revenue Growth

As of the writing of this blog, tariffs are weighing heavily on the minds of several of our top customers. Just this morning, I spoke with the CEO of a mid-sized manufacturer who told me bluntly: “We have no way to plan for future demand right now.” Earlier this week, he was getting calls to cancel orders—today, he’s being asked to expedite shipments to beat potential trade disruptions.

That kind of volatility isn’t rare.At Craig Group, we work primarily with private equity–backed companies, helping them accelerate revenue growth through improved sales and marketing execution. Many of these businesses are in the first wave of institutional capital, where the founder is still the CEO… and often still the de facto head of sales. These companies are already under pressure to grow revenue—now, that pressure is compounded by market instability.

Today, portfolio company CEOs and their PE sponsors are being asked to do two things at once:

➡️ Manage through massive uncertainty

➡️ Still deliver the EBITDA growth needed to hit return targets

Not an easy lift.

There are many levers to pull in response to economic turbulence—but one of the most effective, and often most overlooked, is this:
👉 Shorten the sales cycle.

Faster deal velocity means more cash flow, more predictability, and less exposure to buyer hesitation or market whiplash. So how does a mid-market B2B company actually go about doing that?

Below are the six most effective strategies we use with our clients to compress the sales cycle—without sacrificing deal quality or long-term customer value.

1. Get Ruthless About Qualification

Focus on high-fit targets using a tight Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
Disqualify early and decisively—every bad-fit lead costs you time.
Use a structured framework (e.g. SPICED or MEDDPICC) to guide discovery.

🧠 The faster you focus on winnable deals, the faster you close.

2. Align Sales & Marketing Around the Buying Journey

Create content and tools that answer key buyer questions at each stage.
Empower reps with ready-to-go resources: case studies, ROI decks, technical one-pagers.
Shorten time-to-trust by preempting objections early (objective handling guides).

🧠 Confused buyers stall. Confident buyers act.

3. Make the Business Case Simple and Compelling

Package ROI models that are fast and easy to customize.
Include proof points and “what-if” scenarios that help internal selling.
Bring procurement, legal, and compliance into the conversation early.

🧠 Speed comes from clarity—especially for financial and technical buyers.

4. Streamline Internal Execution

Automate internal approvals, pricing workflows, and contract delivery.
Use CRM dashboards to spot stage-level slowdowns.
Shorten and simplify legal, IT and security reviews wherever possible.

🧠 Sometimes the biggest sales bottleneck is inside your own walls.

5. Multi-Thread from Day One

Engage multiple stakeholders from the start—not just your day-to-day contact.
Coach champions to sell on your behalf internally.
Always secure next steps on every call to maintain momentum.

🧠 Deals die in silence. Multi-threading keeps them moving.

6. Design Quick Starts and Land-and-Expand Plays

Break up big commitments into pilot phases to get a faster “yes.”
Deliver early value within 30–60 days to build internal traction.
Pre-package implementation plans to reduce perceived risk.

🧠 Frictionless starts make for faster closes.

Whether your company is trying to weather tariff shocks, respond to sudden demand swings, or simply hit your growth targets under pressure, the ability to reduce your sales cycle is a competitive advantage.

If you’re interested in discussing how to apply these approaches to your portfolio or company, we’re happy to share playbooks or case studies—we’ve seen this work across SaaS, industrial, manufacturing, and tech-enabled services businesses alike.

Accelerate Your Sales Cycle for Stronger Growth in Uncertain Times

In uncertain times of tariffs and market turbulence, speed in closing deals is your ally. As a PE operating partner or portfolio company executive, you know that shortening your B2B sales cycle can be a game-changer for growing EBITDA under pressure. We’ve been a trusted partner in commercial transformations, helping mid-market companies across industrial, manufacturing, and tech-enabled services accelerate their sales cycles and see results. If you’re looking to make sales velocity your competitive edge, let’s talk. Reach out for a no-obligation conversation or even a quick assessment—we’ll share proven playbooks and case studies to jumpstart your journey toward faster sales cycles and stronger growth.

Craig Group Partner Ajay Joshi is a seasoned revenue operations consultant with over 20 years of experience enhancing operational and financial performance across sales, marketing, operations, and technology. His expertise spans over 20 industries, with a strong focus on private equity-backed firms in the SaaS, manufacturing, and industrial services sectors. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Posted in Thought Leadership