When a Verbal Yes Means Nothing
It’s the last week of the quarter. The Economic Buyer gave you a verbal yes.
You’ve got champagne on ice.
Then procurement says they’ve never seen your contract.
Legal’s on holiday. Finance needs you to be onboarded as a vendor. You forecasted the deal for Q2—but it’s going to close mid-July.
You didn’t lose on value. You lost to the Paper Process.
In this article, we’ll break down how to coach your team to tackle the Paper Process like pros.
You’ll learn:
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What the Paper Process really includes (it’s not just the contract)
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Why waiting until EOQ is a silent deal killer
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The exact questions to ask (and how to ask them) to uncover legal and procurement hurdles
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How to use the Paper Process to multi-thread and tighten your forecast
Our expert sales coach Alan Clark brings his real-world tactics, blunt truths, and a practical roadmap for making the Paper Process your secret sales weapon.
This article is part of our Mastering MEDDPICC series—a no-fluff, tactical playbook for turning MEDDPICC into muscle memory across your sales team. If you’re aiming to build a qualification process that reps consistently follow (and that your CRM actually mirrors), start with our introductory guide. It breaks down what each letter stands for, why this framework drives results in B2B sales, and how to roll it out in a way that sticks.
What Is the Paper Process in Sales?
Most reps treat the Paper Process as a finish line formality. But Alan reframes it: it’s the tangible evidence of the decision process.
NDAs, security assessments, legal reviews—they’re not admin tasks. They’re deal milestones.
“The Paper Process is the evidence and commitment of what’s in the decision process,” Alan says.
“It’s when things actually get signed off.”
Think legal, infosec, procurement, vendor onboarding, and payment setup. And think of them early.
Start Early—Way Earlier Than You Think
Salespeople love to celebrate a verbal yes. But Alan cautions that verbal agreement doesn’t mean anything if legal hasn’t even opened the document.
“Most people leave the Paper Process too late,” he explains.
“It should be slotted into your timeline right alongside go-live and project dates.”
Things to Do:
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Introduce paperwork milestones early—before the proposal stage.
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Use language like “Typically at this stage, we’d see an NDA or security review…”
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Build paperwork into mutual action plans or close plans.
Questions to Ask:
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“When you last bought something like this, what steps did you take after approval?”
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“Who signs off on NDAs or vendor onboarding in your team?”
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“Would that be Bill or Sarah in your IT team who handles the security check?”
Don’t Ask, Guide
Alan makes it clear: open-ended questions like “What’s your paper process?” are weak.
They lead to blanks, guesses, or deferrals.
“Take ownership,” he says.
“Make a suggestion. Say ‘Typically we see a legal review here—who would handle that on your side?’
That way, you look like a guide, not just another vendor.”
Things to Do:
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Pre-map common steps (NDA, DPA, security checks, procurement).
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Offer plausible scenarios based on similar deals.
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Use LinkedIn research to name-drop potential stakeholders.
Questions to Ask:
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“Would your legal team need to review a DPA at this stage?”
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“Do we need to loop in someone from InfoSec for the tech compliance review?”
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“Should we connect now so redlines don’t stall us later?”
Align Paper Process with Forecasting
Just because someone says yes doesn’t mean the deal’s in the bag.
“People pause before they sign something,” Alan says.
“Even if it’s not the final contract, getting them to commit to paperwork is a great indicator of intent.”
No paperwork = no real commitment.
Things to Do:
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Use signatures (even on minor docs) as intent indicators.
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Track legal and procurement steps as separate MEDDPICC milestones.
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Flag redline cycles and blockers during forecast calls.
Questions to Ask:
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“Has legal reviewed our terms yet?”
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“Are procurement and finance aligned on the payment terms?”
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“What’s the timeline for PO generation on your side?”
Use the Paper Process to Multi-Thread
Here’s the hidden power move: the Paper Process is a sneaky way to multi-thread without needing to ask for introductions.
“There’s always someone new who needs to sign something,” Alan points out.
“Use that to bring in more stakeholders.”
Things to Do:
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Treat paperwork as a strategic reason to meet new contacts.
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Position new intros as helpful (“Would it be useful if we briefed your legal team now?”).
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Use paperwork to elevate the conversation: “Let’s get our CRO to speak with your finance lead about sign-off.”
Questions to Ask:
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“Should I speak to legal directly to avoid back-and-forth?”
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“Is there a checklist for vendor onboarding we should get started on?”
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“Would your procurement team want to review our standard terms now?”
Conclusion: If It’s Not Signed, It’s Not Real
The Paper Process isn’t admin. It’s strategy. And if it’s not part of your close plan, your forecast is built on hope.
Key takeaways:
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Start paperwork conversations early—even before pricing is final.
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Guide buyers through what to expect using suggestions, not vague asks.
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Use signatures as intent indicators and access points.
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Don’t celebrate the “yes” until the PO is signed.
Ready to learn the next letter of MEDDPICC -
(I- Implicating Pain)?
We have a deep dive article on Implicating Pain here to bring this to life.
MEDDPICC doesn’t work if it stays on paper.
We help your reps bring it to life with real coaching, hands-on training, and zero fluff.
Book a call and let’s talk about making MEDDPICC part of your team’s DNA—without the overwhelm or eye-rolls.
