Verbal-to-Signature Checklist

14 steps between "we're moving forward" and a signed contract

A verbal yes is not a closed deal. Most deals that die after a verbal commitment die silently, in procurement or legal, for reasons the seller never sees. This checklist closes those gaps.

1. Confirm the verbal commitment in writing within 1 hour — recap email naming the agreed price, scope, and start date.
2. Identify every required signer (single signer? board approval? multiple legal entities?).
3. Confirm the final legal entity name and billing address for the contract.
4. Send the contract/order form within 24 hours of the verbal yes — momentum dies in delay.
5. Confirm procurement has no outstanding forms still due (W-9, vendor onboarding, security questionnaire, insurance certificate).
6. Confirm payment method and terms are finalized (PO required? Net 30/60? Card vs. invoice?).
7. Ask directly: "Is there anything else that needs to happen internally before this is signed?" — surface silent blockers now, not later.
8. Confirm the legal review timeline and who owns redlines on the buyer's side.
9. Pre-empt standard redline requests (liability cap, auto-renewal, termination clause, data processing terms) with your fallback positions already decided.
10. Set a specific signature date out loud, not "soon" — "Let's target Thursday for signature — does that work?"
11. Confirm no PO number is required BEFORE invoicing — a common silent killer in enterprise procurement.
12. Loop in your deal desk/finance if discount or terms deviate from standard, so approval doesn't stall you at the last step.
13. Schedule the kickoff call on the calendar BEFORE the contract is signed — it creates forward pressure and confirms buyer intent.
14. Follow up every 48 hours if signature stalls, with a specific question, not a generic check-in.

5 silent deal-killers to watch for

1. Missing PO number — invoice gets issued, then bounces back weeks later because a PO was never opened.
2. Wrong legal entity on the contract — subsidiary vs. parent company mismatch stalls signature indefinitely.
3. Procurement re-opening pricing after verbal agreement, once they see the number in writing for the first time.
4. An additional signer surfaces late (board, co-founder, group counsel) who wasn't part of any prior conversation.
5. A stalled security review that was assumed "basically done" but was never actually closed out.

The 48-hour follow-up rule

If signature stalls past 48 hours of an agreed date, don't send "just checking in." Send a specific question tied to the exact step that's likely stuck:

"Hi [Name] — following up on signature. Is legal still reviewing the liability clause, or has that cleared on your end? Happy to hop on a quick call if it's easier to talk through."