Why Use a Project Checklist from Day 1? Many sales professionals use a sequence-of-events email.   For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, it’s an email outlining the steps to a contract signature and is used to confirm a close date.   This can be an effective technique with a few exceptions.   First, when the sequence-of-events email is introduced late in the sales process, the prospect will quickly recognize the attempt to pin them down.   There is nothing wrong with clarifying steps to closure, but introducing this late in the process can create issues.   More importantly, in some cases, the sales executive has not documented the agreed-upon close date, the steps to closure, or the incentives lost by missing that deadline. This can quickly evolve into a he-said-she-said dilemma. Introducing the project checklist early helps make the sequence-of-events discussion feel natural.   The prospect feels no pressure in the beginning, and the repetitive review of steps to closure helps build trust and creates a WE mentality.