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A healthy sales pipeline remains one of the strongest indicators of business growth, and many small business owners are optimistic about the months ahead.
According to a Small Business Expo Research Desk survey of 109 U.S. small business owners, 68.8% say they are either very or somewhat confident in their sales pipeline over the next 90 days. At the same time, 56.9% identify finding qualified leads as their biggest sales challenge by a wide margin.
Taken together, the findings suggest that while many business owners are optimistic about converting existing opportunities into revenue, consistently generating high-quality prospects remains one of the most significant obstacles to sustained growth.
Highlights
- 68.8% are very or somewhat confident in their sales pipeline for the next 90 days.
- 56.9% say finding qualified leads is their biggest sales challenge.
- 48.6% say closing new business is easier than it was a year ago.
- Only 12.9% say closing new business has become harder.
Sales Pipeline Confidence Remains Strong
When asked about their confidence in their sales pipeline over the next 90 days, more than two-thirds of respondents expressed optimism.
Specifically, 36.7% reported feeling very confident, while another 32.1% said they were somewhat confident. Just 4.6% said they were not very confident, with the remaining 26.6% taking a neutral position.
The results suggest that many small business owners expect a healthy flow of opportunities in the months ahead. While confidence levels naturally vary by industry and business stage, the survey indicates that most respondents believe they have a solid foundation for near-term sales activity.
Qualified Leads Continue to Be the Biggest Challenge
Despite that optimism, respondents identified one challenge that stood well above the rest: generating qualified leads.
More than half of business owners (56.9%) selected finding qualified leads as their biggest sales challenge. That figure was more than twice the share who cited converting prospects into customers (22.9%), while far fewer pointed to pricing pressure (8.3%), customer follow-up (7.3%), or longer buying cycles (4.6%).
The findings suggest that many small businesses are less concerned about closing deals than they are about maintaining a consistent pipeline of high-quality prospects.
This aligns with broader industry research showing that lead generation remains one of the most common challenges for small businesses as competition for customer attention continues to increase.¹
Closing New Business May Be Getting Easier
The survey also explored whether business owners believe closing new business has become easier or harder compared to a year ago.
Nearly half of respondents (48.6%) said closing new business is either much easier or slightly easier today. In contrast, only 12.9% reported that it has become harder, while 38.5% said the process has remained about the same.
Although the reasons behind this shift may differ from one business to another, the results suggest that once businesses connect with qualified prospects, many feel increasingly confident in their ability to convert those opportunities into customers.
Growing familiarity with digital sales tools, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and AI-powered sales technologies may also be helping businesses streamline portions of the sales process.²
A Strong Pipeline Still Depends on Strong Lead Generation
One of the most interesting themes to emerge from the survey is the difference between pipeline confidence and pipeline creation.
Business owners appear optimistic about the opportunities already in front of them, yet many continue to struggle with consistently bringing new qualified prospects into the top of the sales funnel.
That distinction highlights an important reality for many small businesses. Sales performance isn’t determined solely by closing ability—it also depends on maintaining a reliable flow of prospective customers. Even businesses with effective sales processes can experience slower growth if qualified leads become harder to find.
Final Takeaway
The survey paints an encouraging picture of small business sales heading into the months ahead.
Nearly seven in ten respondents express confidence in their sales pipeline, and almost half say closing new business has become easier than it was a year ago. At the same time, the findings reinforce that lead generation remains the biggest hurdle for many businesses.
For small business owners looking to grow, the challenge may no longer be converting customers once they’re in the pipeline—but ensuring that the pipeline remains full of qualified opportunities.
Footnotes
- Hubspot. State of Marketing Report. https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
- Salesforce. State of Sales. https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-sales/
Related: The Biggest Opportunities and Threats Facing Small Business