[GTM glossary](/glossary.txt) Mutual close plan Sales # Mutual close plan In short A mutual close plan is a jointly agreed timeline that lists every step between final evaluation and a signed contract, with an owner and a date for each step. Both the buyer and the seller commit to their parts. Its purpose is to remove surprises late in the cycle. By writing down legal review, security checks, pricing approval, and signature steps early, teams avoid deals that stall at the finish line. ## What goes into a close plan * **Decision date:** The date the buyer needs a choice made, and the reason it matters. * **Approvals:** Each person or group who must sign off, in order. * **Contract steps:** Redlines, security questionnaire, procurement forms, and vendor setup. * **Open items:** Questions or proof points the buyer still needs answered. * **Signature route:** Who signs, with what tool, and on which date. --- ## How to run one Work backward from the date the buyer wants to start. Ask, "If we want to be live by that date, what has to happen before then?" Write each answer as a dated task with an owner. Review the plan in every deal call. When a date slips, ask what caused it and what the new date does to the start date. This keeps the conversation about the buyer's goal, not about pressure. ### Example Say the buyer wants the tool running at the start of a new quarter. The close plan places signature two weeks before that, legal redlines the week before signature, and the security review right after the final demo. Each line names a person on each side. --- ## Why it helps forecasting A close plan gives managers evidence for commit calls. A deal with confirmed dates and a named approver is stronger than one with a friendly "we will get back to you". A plan with no buyer replies is a warning sign. --- ## Common mistakes * **Starting too late:** Drafting it after the buyer says yes leaves no room to find hidden steps. * **Artificial deadlines:** Dates must come from the buyer's own needs, not from your quarter end. * **One-sided ownership:** If only the rep has tasks, the buyer has not committed. --- ## Close plan vs. mutual action plan A mutual action plan can span the whole evaluation and onboarding. A mutual close plan narrows in on the final stretch to signature. --- ## Mutual close plan FAQs **What is a mutual close plan?** A mutual close plan is a shared timeline of the steps, owners, and dates that buyer and seller agree to complete to get from final evaluation to a signed contract. It surfaces legal, security, and approval steps before they cause delays. **What is the difference between a mutual close plan and a mutual action plan?** The terms overlap heavily. A mutual close plan focuses on the final stretch from late evaluation to signature, while a mutual action plan can cover the full evaluation and sometimes onboarding. Many teams use the names interchangeably. **How do you create a mutual close plan?** Ask the buyer for their desired go-live date, then work backward to list each step, owner, and date, including approvals and contract review. Share it with your champion, adjust based on their edits, and review it in every call. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [Sales forecasting](/glossary/sales-forecasting.txt) * [End of quarter](/glossary/end-of-quarter.txt) * [Champion letter](/glossary/champion-letter.txt) ## Similar phrases * [Mutual action plan](/glossary/mutual-action-plan.txt) A mutual action plan is a shared, dated list of steps that buyer and seller agree to complete so a deal can move from evaluation to signature. * [Economic buyer](/glossary/economic-buyer.txt) An economic buyer is the person with final authority over budget for a purchase, who can approve spending and overrule other stakeholders on a deal. * [Champion](/glossary/champion.txt) A champion is a person inside a buyer's company who supports your solution, sells it internally, and helps you move the deal forward. * [Closed won](/glossary/closed-won.txt) Closed won is the CRM stage for an opportunity where the buyer agreed to purchase and signed, which turns the deal into booked revenue. * [Accelerators](/glossary/accelerators.txt) Sales accelerators are tools, content, incentives, and tactics that shorten the time it takes to move a deal from first contact to closed-won.