The B2B Cybersecurity Sales Cycle: Length, Decision Stages, and Influence Mapping

What Did This Cybersecurity Research Find?

This cybersecurity sales process study tracked 800 B2B enterprise security deals from first contact to close to map the decision stages, stakeholders involved, and factors that accelerated or stalled deals. Cybersecurity B2B deals averaged 7.2 months from first contact to signed contract, with the technical evaluation stage consuming 38% of the total cycle time and CISO approval being the single most common bottleneck.

Key Findings

• 1Average B2B cybersecurity deal cycle: 7.2 months from first contact to close
• 2Technical evaluation consumed 38% of total cycle time
• 3CISO approval was the most common bottleneck stage (cited in 61% of stalled deals)
• 4Deals with executive sponsorship from the buyer side closed 2.1 months faster
• 5Competitive displacement deals took 2.4 months longer than greenfield opportunities

How Does This Apply to Cybersecurity Careers?

Sales engineers and account executives can focus their activities based on where deals spend the most time. Channel partners can understand which sales stages they can accelerate for their vendor partners.

Who Should Read This?

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