Use Mutual Action Plans to Improve Deal Velocity

Why Mutual Action Plans Matter for Deal Velocity

You can redesign stages and coach deals well, but if buyers are unclear on what needs to happen next, your deal velocity will still suffer.

In complex B2B sales, buyers often:

• Juggle multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Navigate unfamiliar internal processes.
• Worry about risk and disruption.

Without a shared view of the path to a decision, it is easy for momentum to fade. This shows up in your data as slow deal velocity, stage bloating and silent ageing.

Mutual action plans (MAPs) help solve this by creating a joint roadmap between buyer and seller. They make the buying journey visible, manageable and shared.

If you are exploring what role deal velocity plays in pipeline health, MAPs are one of the most practical tools for turning insight into predictable movement.

This article takes Step 5 in our series and focuses on how to use mutual action plans to improve deal velocity, building on the main guide on what role does deal velocity play in pipeline health.

What Is a Mutual Action Plan?

A mutual action plan is a shared, time-bound plan that outlines:

• The key milestones needed to reach a decision and, where relevant, go live.
• Who is responsible for each step – on the customer side and on your side.
• Target dates and dependencies.

Unlike an internal project plan or a seller-only checklist, a MAP is:

• Co-created with the buyer.
• Visible to stakeholders on both sides.
• Dynamic – it can be adjusted as circumstances change.

Used well, MAPs turn a vague sense of “we should move this forward” into a clear sequence of actions that support healthier deal velocity.

When to Introduce a Mutual Action Plan

Timing matters. Introduce a mutual action plan too early, and it can feel heavy-handed. Introduce it too late, and it becomes a formality.

A good rule of thumb is to suggest a MAP when:

• There is agreement that the problem is real and worth solving.
• The buyer has signalled serious interest (for example, by involving additional stakeholders or requesting pricing/solution detail).
• Both sides acknowledge there is a decision to be made within a certain timeframe.

You might position it as:

“To make sure we respect your time and keep things moving at a pace that works for you, would it be helpful to map out the key steps and people involved from here?”

This frames the MAP as a service to the buyer, not a pressure tactic.

Co-Create the Plan With the Buyer

The “mutual” part of a mutual action plan is crucial.

Instead of arriving with a pre-baked list of steps, work with your buyer to understand:

• Their internal decision process – who needs to be involved, what reviews are required, which committees or boards play a role.
• Their constraints – budget cycles, key dates, competing projects, holidays.
• Their success criteria – what “good” looks like for a decision and for implementation.

Then, together, sketch out:

• Key milestones – for example, “validate business case”, “security review”, “sign-off from finance”, “contract signature”, “go-live”.
• Actions required from each side.
• Target dates that feel realistic, not just ambitious.

This co-creation process:

• Builds trust and transparency.
• Surfaces obstacles early.
• Creates shared ownership of momentum and deal velocity.

Make Responsibilities and Dates Explicit

A MAP improves deal velocity when it is specific enough to guide behaviour.

For each milestone, capture:

• Owner(s) – name and role on both buyer and seller sides.
• Tasks – what exactly needs to be done.
• Target date – when it should be completed.
• Dependencies – what needs to happen before this step can start.

For example:

• Milestone: “Security review completed”.
  • Buyer owner: Information Security Manager.
  • Seller owner: Solutions Architect.
  • Tasks: Complete security questionnaire; review architecture documentation; address any clarifications.
  • Target date: 14 March.
  • Dependencies: NDA in place; architecture pack shared.

When responsibilities and dates are explicit, it is much easier to:

• Spot potential bottlenecks.
• Have constructive conversations about delays.
• Support the buyer with the right resources at the right time.

Use the Plan to Structure Conversations and Follow-Up

Once agreed, the mutual action plan should become a living reference point in your conversations.

In check-ins, you can ask:

• “How are we tracking against the milestones we agreed?”
• “Has anything changed that means we should update the plan?”
• “Is there anyone we should bring into the next step to keep things moving?”

This approach:

• Reduces the need for generic “just checking in” emails.
• Gives you a reason to communicate that is clearly tied to buyer priorities.
• Helps keep deal velocity healthy without creating artificial urgency.

When the plan is visible to multiple stakeholders, it also reduces the risk of momentum being lost when individuals are away or change roles.

Connect Mutual Action Plans to Deal Stages and Velocity

MAPs become even more powerful when they are aligned with your stage design and velocity metrics.

For example:

• You might expect a draft MAP to exist by the end of your solution shaping
• You might define entry into commercial alignment as “mutual action plan agreed and shared with key stakeholders”.

You can then:

• Track how quickly deals with MAPs progress compared to those without.
• Use stage ageing and deal velocity data to refine when and how you introduce MAPs.

Over time, you may find that:

• Deals supported by a MAP move more predictably and with fewer last-minute surprises.
• Stalled deals often lack a plan or have one that has not been updated in weeks.

This gives you a concrete lever for improving deal velocity.

Use MAPs to Expose and Manage Risk Earlier

Mutual action plans help surface risks that might otherwise only appear late in the process.

As you build the plan, watch for:

• Steps that require stakeholders who have not yet been engaged.
• Approvals that typically take longer than the buyer initially expects.
• Dependencies on other internal projects or budget decisions.

You can then:

• Bring the right people into the conversation earlier.
• Adjust timelines to reflect reality, not wishful thinking.
• Decide whether to continue investing in the deal based on a realistic path.

This proactive risk management supports both healthy deal velocity and more reliable forecasting.

Keep the Plan Human, Not Just a Spreadsheet

It is easy for mutual action plans to become another template that sits unused in a folder.

To keep them human and useful:

• Use the buyer’s language, not internal jargon.
• Share the plan in a format that works for them (for example, a simple shared document, slide or workspace).
• Treat it as a conversation tool, not a contract.

Remember that the goal is not to force the buyer into your process. It is to help them navigate their own process with greater clarity and confidence.

Common Mistakes When Using Mutual Action Plans

As you introduce MAPs, watch out for these pitfalls:

• Making them one-sided
  Plans that focus only on seller tasks feel self-serving and do little for momentum.
• Presenting them as fixed
  Treating dates and steps as rigid commitments rather than a shared hypothesis that may evolve.
• Introducing them too late
  Only bringing in a MAP after a deal has already stalled.
• Letting them go stale
  Failing to update the plan when things change, which erodes trust.
• Using them only for “big deals”
  They are most common in strategic deals, but lighter-weight plans can also help mid-market opportunities.

Avoiding these mistakes will help MAPs become a genuine asset for deal velocity, not just another artefact.

How Step 5 Supports the Deal Velocity Series

Mutual action plans are one of the most practical ways to influence deal velocity in live opportunities.

They help you:

• Turn vague intent into clear, shared next steps.
• Maintain momentum in complex buying journeys.
• Surface and manage risk earlier.

Use this article alongside the main guide on what role does deal velocity play in pipeline health to introduce MAPs into your sales motion, refine when and how you use them and track their impact on deal velocity and pipeline health over time.