Close Planning

The close is not a moment. It is a sequence. Every enterprise deal that stalls in the final stage stalls because the rep treated the close as a single event instead of a series of micro-commitments that build toward the signature. SD deal scoring gives you the framework for tracking those micro-commitments — each one a verifiable proof point that the deal is advancing.

Deal scoring at enterprise level works on five dimensions: stakeholder engagement (how many threads are active), champion strength (is your champion still advocating), competitive position (have alternatives been eliminated or deprioritized), technical validation (has the technical team signed off), and commercial alignment (have terms and pricing been directionally agreed). Score each dimension from one to five. A deal that scores 20 or higher is closing. A deal that scores 15 is at risk. A deal below 12 is dead and the rep does not know it yet.

Objection handling at enterprise level is different from mid-market. The objections are structural, not emotional. "Your security architecture does not meet our FedRAMP requirements" is not an objection you overcome with enthusiasm. It is a binary gate. Either you meet it or you do not. Enterprise close planning means identifying every binary gate — security review, legal review, procurement compliance, technical integration requirements — and clearing them in parallel, not in sequence.

The reps who close enterprise deals on time are the reps who map every approval gate in the first month and start clearing them immediately, even before the buyer has reached a decision. When the economic buyer says yes, you want the only remaining step to be the signature. If "yes" triggers a six-week security review, a legal redline cycle, and a procurement process, your deal is not closing this quarter. It is closing next quarter. Maybe.