Title: How to Turn a Verbal Yes Into a Signed Deal

Read time: 3 min

Today I’m going to discuss how to close deals after they’ve given you the ok. This is where I see a lot of founders struggle. Even after the green light, deals can stall, get stuck in procurement and get buried in infosec reviews. Your job isn’t done at yes. In many ways, it’s just beginning.

It’s important to understand that there’s a gap between verbal commitment and signed agreement, and if you’re not careful deals can land in purgatory. And it’s typically not because the buyer changed their mind, but because the founder assumed a yes meant done. It didn’t. It meant next step. And if you didn’t lead them there, it’s on you.

So many founders don’t close with a clear next step. They end the call with “I’ll send the agreement over,” instead of booking a go-live date or kickoff. This is wrong. So wrong. In this issue will fix it.

While We Wait For Life, Life Passes

~ Seneca

1. Book the Go-Live Before You Send the Contract

This is the single most important move in the close. Once they say yes, DO NOT default to “Awesome, I’ll send you the agreement.”

Say this instead:

• Great, let’s lock in your go-live date now. I’ll send over the agreement and onboarding docs right after this call and if we need to move the go live date around we can always do so.
  

• You do this, because you are attaching a date to the commitment. That date becomes the anchor. It forces internal urgency and helps them prioritize closing the loop. The contract is now tied to action, not floating in deal purgatory. Again this is the number one thing that you need to do after getting the verbal yes.

2. Send the Agreement Immediately After the Call

The longer you wait, the colder the deal gets. If your buyer has to ask you for the agreement a day later, you’ve already lost momentum. Have your doc ready in your CRM or DocuSign, and send it within 30 minutes of the call ending.

Another pro tip is pre-fill every field. Remove all the friction that you can.

The easier it is to sign for them, the faster it happens.

3. Confirm Internal Steps

This should be identified on the disco call and again on the scoping call, but you do not want to assume your contact is the only decision-maker. Ask them directly:

• Is anyone else who needs to weigh in before we go live?

• What does the internal approval process for executing on the agreement?

• Anything on your end that could delay the agreement?

When you surface potential friction points now, you can solve them before they turn into blockers.

4. Frame It as the Last Mile

The language/vernacular you use matters. Frame your post-yes process as onboarding, not closing.

Example:

• Since you’re in, this next step is just about logistics and making sure we set you up for success on day one.

This removes pressure and reaffirms the decision. You’re reinforcing that the hard part is over. You’re already a partner. Now you’re helping them execute. What you say, and you frame it matters.

5. Use Deadline-Based Follow-Up

Never send an emails with, “I’m just checking in.” Always lead with the date they committed to.

Example:

• Hey Name, circling back here since we locked in the July 15 start date. Want to make sure we’re still on track to have everything signed by Friday so onboarding goes smoothly. Anything that you need from me?

You’re not begging. You’re being helpful and aligned. It also creates urgency without sounding shook.

6. If It Stalls, Re-Sell the Close

If they ghost or delay, DO NOT panic. Follow up with clarity. Remind them what they agreed to, and why. Do not be afraid to hold them accountable. If someone gives you their word to move forward, then that is their word. In business your word is everything.

Example:

• Hey Name, help me understand. Last time we spoke, you mentioned the POC helped reduce your manual tracking by over 40% and you were excited to roll this out to your ops team. Totally understand if something’s shifted, but wanted to reconnect and see if we should still plan for the July kickoff.
  
  What can we do or show you that will help expedite the process and make you more confident in moving forward?

Keep it neutral. Don’t guilt-trip. Focus on the value and let them re-confirm their own reasoning.

Key Takeaway

Getting a yes is not the finish line. It’s when you shift from selling to leading. And if you don’t lead, they will drift.

The window between verbal commitment and signature is precious. Your job is to lock it down with speed, structure, and confidence. Book the go-live date. Send the agreement immediately. Follow up like a partner, not a pusher.

If a deal dies after the yes, it’s not because they changed their mind. It’s because you didn’t give them a clear next step to follow, and your lack of driving the deal forward made them second guess their decision.

A deal is never a deal until the agreement is signed, and the money is in the bank.



That’s it for today folks.

See you all next week!

Darren

P.S. If you’re a venture-backed company interested in coaching, book a call here.