Mutual Action Plan (MAP): The Secret to Stop Deals From Slipping

It is the last week of the quarter. You have a deal committed in your forecast. The champion said "Yes."

But then, you get the email: "Sorry, Legal needs two more weeks to review the DPA."

The deal slips to next quarter. You miss your quota.

This is called Deal Slippage, and it kills 36% of forecasted opportunities. The cause isn't usually the product or the price; it is the process.

To prevent this in 2025, top enterprise reps don't rely on verbal "Yeses." They use a Mutual Action Plan (MAP).

Key takeaways

• Work Backwards. Don't focus on the "Signature Date" (which benefits you). Focus on the "Go-Live Date" (which benefits the client) and work backward from there. Gartner – Buyer Enablement
• Mutual Accountability. A MAP is not a "To-Do list" for the seller. It is a shared agreement. If the buyer misses a deadline, the Go-Live date moves. Forrester – The Future Of Sales Enablement
• Disqualification Tool. If a prospect refuses to agree to a MAP, they are not serious about buying. Use it to filter your pipeline. Clari – What is Deal Slippage

Table of contents

• What is a Mutual Action Plan (MAP)?
• The "Happy Ears" Problem
• How to Build a MAP (The 3-Step Framework)
• Template: The Simple Close Plan (Copy-Paste)
• How to Present the MAP to a Buyer
• How Nomi fits

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What is a Mutual Action Plan (MAP)?

A Mutual Action Plan (sometimes called a Close Plan or Joint Execution Plan) is a shared document that outlines every step required to get from "Decision" to "Value."

It changes the dynamic of the relationship:

• Without MAP: Seller vs. Buyer (trying to get a signature).
• With MAP: Partners vs. Process (trying to launch a solution).

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The "Happy Ears" Problem

Why do deals slip? Because salespeople have "Happy Ears."

When a champion says "We want to buy," the rep marks the deal as 90% probability. They forget that the champion doesn't control the Paper Process (Legal, InfoSec, Procurement).

A MAP forces you to validate the Decision Process (The "D" in MEDDIC). It forces the hidden stakeholders into the light.

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How to Build a MAP (The 3-Step Framework)

Do not make it complicated. A good MAP has three components.

1. The Outcome (The "Why")

Start with the value. Why are we doing this?

• Example: "Launch Nomi to reduce new hire ramp time by 50%."
• Link: This comes directly from your SPIN Selling discovery (Need-Payoff).

2. The Timeline (The "When")

Pick the Go-Live Date first. Then list every step required to hit that date.

• Go-Live: Jan 15th.
• Training: Jan 10th.
• Implementation: Jan 5th.
• Signature: Dec 31st.

3. The Owners (The "Who")

Every step must have an owner.

• Legal Review: Owned by Buyer (Legal Team).
• InfoSec Form: Owned by Seller (Security Team).

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Template: The Simple Close Plan (Copy-Paste)

You don't need fancy software. A simple table shared in an email or Google Doc works best.

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How to Present the MAP to a Buyer

Do not say: "Here is my process to close you." Say: "To hit your goal of launching by Jan 15th, we typically need 3 weeks for legal and IT. Shall we map out those steps to ensure we don't miss that deadline?"

If they say "No, we don't need a plan," it's a major red flag. They likely don't have the authority or the budget.

If they ghost you after receiving the plan, use our Follow-Up Email Templates to reignite urgency.

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How Nomi fits

The biggest problem with MAPs? They get created, sent, and then forgotten.

Nomi keeps the MAP alive during your calls.

• Milestone Check: Nomi listens to your conversation. If you are approaching the end of the call, Nomi prompts: "Confirm if Legal has reviewed the doc as per the timeline."
• Stakeholder Identification: If the MAP requires an InfoSec review but you haven't mentioned "Security" in the call, Nomi alerts you: "Risk: Security stakeholder missing."
• Next Step Rigor: Nomi ensures you never hang up without booking the next step defined in the MAP.

You move from "hoping" the steps happen to "verifying" them live.

Secure your closing process with Nomi.

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References

• Gartner: Buyer Enablement
• Clari: What is Deal Slippage: Everything You Need to Know
• HubSpot: How to Create a Mutual Action Plan