How WLA is like game film for your business

Sales leaders, like great coaches, know that understanding the "why" behind wins and losses is key to consistent success. 

Imagine a professional sports team skipping their film review after a game. They’d lose the chance to identify their strengths and weaknesses, putting them at a disadvantage as they gameplan for the future. 

Winning deals in business follows the same principle—and that’s where win-loss analysis comes into play.

“Every professional sports team reviews their footage to understand where they need to improve. Winning deals is our sport, and Clozd is our video review.” 
—Ravi Kumaraswami, President of Worldwide Field Operations at Riskified

If you’re a go-to-market leader looking to elevate your team’s performance, win-loss analysis offers game-changing insights. This blog will explore what win-loss analysis is, how it works, and why it’s essential for modern businesses. 

Think of it as your playbook to help uncover what drives your sales victories and defeats.

What is win-loss analysis, and why does it matter?

Simply put, win-loss analysis is the process of talking directly to your buyers (your prospects and customers) to uncover the real reasons you win and lose business. 

No matter your role, win-loss analysis uncovers the data you need to drive revenue and increase retention.

When it comes to identifying the real reasons you win and lose, salespeople and CRM systems often fail to provide the whole picture. Research shows that sales teams are wrong about why they lose deals 60–85% of the time. Without accurate, clear data, companies risk misallocating resources and targeting the wrong improvements.

By listening to your buyers’ unfiltered feedback, win-loss analysis provides actionable insights into:

• Sales techniques (what worked and what didn’t)
• Product strengths and gaps
• Competitive positioning
• Customer pain points
• Marketing effectiveness
• Organizational alignment

Companies that invest in effective win-loss analysis programs report tangible returns:

1. Up to a 30% revenue boost when insights inform strategic decisions 
2. 15–50% increases in win rates, according to Gartner 
3. Faster new-hire onboarding times—1.28 months shorter on average, per Clozd research

If your business isn’t using win-loss analysis, you’re likely leaving revenue on the table.

Benefits of win-loss analysis for sales teams

When implemented consistently, win-loss analysis transforms sales organizations in the following ways:

1. Boost sales effectiveness

Win-loss insights reveal exactly what sales reps are doing right—and wrong—on a per-opportunity basis. This equips managers to replicate winning behaviors and correct mistakes in real time. Sales leadership can also use findings to create precise and personalized coaching plans.

2. Tailor onboarding and training

Onboarding is often a challenge, particularly when new hires need to learn your company’s positioning and buyer preferences. Win-loss data can streamline this process by providing actual buyer insights. Sales reps can learn about objections, deal dynamics, and ideal customer profiles (ICPs)—all backed by real-world data.

“I’ve recently had to onboard two reps on my team, and I basically have them live in Gong and in Clozd. That way they can watch the call where we closed the deal, and then they can go into Clozd and hear it from the customer’s perspective. I didn’t even realize when we started with Clozd how helpful it would be during onboarding.”

—Connor Armstrong, Director of Sales at Trella Health

3. Understand buyer Decision Drivers

Win-loss analysis gives reps hundreds of buyer data points to study—ranging from pricing and product concerns to competitive strengths. This information helps teams adjust their pitches and personalize selling strategies.

4. Identify win-back opportunities

Sometimes, a buyer’s "no" is actually a "not now." Win-loss interviews are the best way to uncover instances where timing—not interest—was a hurdle. Sales reps can then revisit these leads with confidence, knowing the feedback revealed potential future deals.

“Our sales rep heard a 'no,' but the Clozd interviewer heard 'not now.' So if that interview hadn't happened, we probably would've just put that deal to the side and not pursued it. Instead, we've got a late-stage $500K opportunity in our hands.”
—Tom Kahl, CRO at Hello Heart

Broader organizational benefits of win-loss analysis

Sales isn’t the only beneficiary—insights from win-loss analysis deliver cross-functional value:

Marketing teams gain clarity 

Win-loss interviews reveal whether marketing messaging resonates with buyers. Teams can then adjust their campaigns or content strategies accordingly.

Product teams improve offerings 

Product leaders get direct buyer feedback on what features are effective and what features fall short. This sharpens product roadmaps and helps prioritize development.

Executives align their strategy 

With structured data from their win-loss programs, C-suite leaders can confidently make high-impact decisions—and make them quicker—knowing they’re grounded in customer insights.

How to implement win-loss analysis in your business

Integrating a win-loss analysis program doesn’t have to be a massive lift. Here are six steps to launch an effective program:

Step 1. Choose your feedback channels

The richest insights come from live buyer interviews, but you could also use asynchronous interviews depending on deal type and size, budget, time constraints, and other factors. Innovative tools like the Clozd Platform help scale and automate these efforts.

Step 2. Start with data you have

Pull existing data from your CRM to review sales performance across regions, teams, and competitors. While CRM data lacks nuance, it can highlight trends worth probing in interviews.

Step 3. Interview your buyers

Hire a skilled third party (such as Clozd) to conduct in-depth, unbiased interviews. Buyers are more likely to provide honest and detailed answers to someone who isn’t actively selling to them.

“Many times, when we interviewed our buyers, they just wanted to tell us all the nice things and not share any of the problems. The candidness we get from a third party has really allowed us to look at the information and pick it apart without our own emotion tied to it. Having a third party handle these interviews also eliminates that desire to want to please somebody or make sure you’re not ruining any relationships you might want in the future.”

—Deanna Ballew, SVP of Product at Acquia

Step 4. Synthesize the insights

Track recurring themes throughout your feedback. For instance, are buyers consistently choosing competitors for pricing reasons? Are specific product features repeatedly cited as differentiators?

Step 5. Share findings across teams

Transparency is key to maximizing the value of win-loss data. Share insights in real time with sales, marketing, product, and executive teams to keep everyone aligned.

Step 6. Adapt your strategies

The effectiveness of your win-loss program relies on action—hoq you use the findings to improve your approach. Whether it’s updating training materials, developing competitor battlecards, or refining pricing models, adjustments are where the results happen.

“By capturing win-loss data continuously and monitoring trends over time, we’ve transformed our GTM strategies. We’re nearing a 50% win rate, compared to the 30% range we had before Clozd.” 

—Craig Clark, CMO at Nitrogen

Take your company’s game to the next level

Like athletes reviewing game film, businesses that take time to study their wins and losses are the ones that stay ahead. 

Win-loss analysis isn’t just a sales tactic—it’s a strategy that fosters growth across your entire organization. From improving sales coaching to strengthening your value proposition, the insights you gain will compound over time.

Want to win more? Start with understanding why you win and lose. Platforms like Clozd make it simple to launch a program tailored to your company’s unique needs.

Need expertise to get started? 

Book a free demo with Clozd and see how win-loss analysis can increase your revenue growth.

‍