Where Good Deals Go to Die: The Handoff Gap
Let’s be honest: Most deals don’t die in discovery. They die in the hand-off.
You crushed the connect call. Qualified tight. Buyer was hyped. Then comes the intro to your AE, or the post-sale pass to CS.
And suddenly? Crickets. Cold feet. Confusion.
Because while you might have moved on, your buyer didn’t.
Here’s the silent deal killer no one’s talking about:
Sloppy pass-offs destroy trust. Buyers feel dropped, not guided.
And in a world where trust is your currency? That’s fatal.
What it feels like to your buyer:
“Wait—who’s this?”
“Why am I repeating myself again?”
“Do they even talk to each other?”
“Maybe this company isn’t as sharp as I thought…”
Even if your AE/CSM is top-tier, it doesn’t matter—because the relationship reset wasn’t handled with care.
Here’s how elite sellers pass the baton without dropping it:
Bridge the relationship, not just the calendar. Don’t just toss a calendar link and ghost. Warm the buyer up to your teammate. Explain roles, set context, and reaffirm what’s next so they feel continuity, not confusion.
Prime your teammate like your quota depends on it. Because it does. Provide full notes, call recordings, key objections, and context. Great hand-offs aren’t about information dumps—they’re about empowering your team to deliver consistency and confidence.
Show up to the transition. Join the hand-off call when possible. Your presence signals care. Even 5 minutes of context-setting builds trust and sets the tone.
One question for this week:
Would your buyer describe your hand-off as a step up? Or a drop-off?
Because in high-trust deals, buyers don’t want to start over. They want to keep moving with confidence.
About Brian Sullivan
Brian Sullivan, CSP, is the author of 20 Days to the Top and a leading voice in sales training and development. He helps sales teams perfect their prospecting and performance with PRECISE Selling.
