The Handoff Series: From Sales to PM — Setting Projects Up for Success (Part 1)

Image created using Imgflip.com. From The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Satirical use for commentary under fair use.

Most Projects don’t begin with a clean slate. They don’t always start neatly on day one with a blank page and a crystal-clear charter. More often than not, they arrive on a Project Manager’s desk already carrying baggage, expectations, and risks.

And too often, that “handoff” from Sales to the PM is an afterthought, if it happens at all.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been assigned a Project where the only context I received was, “Here’s the client, here’s the contract, kickoff is next week.” That’s not a handoff. That’s a gamble. And for Project Managers and their teams, the odds aren’t good when you’re starting from a place of incomplete information, vague commitments, and client expectations you didn’t even know existed.

This blog post kicks off a three-part series on one of the most talked about yet overlooked and high-impact aspects of Project Management: handoffs. Consider this: what happens when a handoff fails? Have you ever had a handoff? Have you ever led a handoff? Over the next few weeks, I’ll be writing about three critical transitions every Project Manager must pay attention to:

1. From Sales → Project Manager (today’s focus)

2. From Project Team → Operations

3. From Project Manager → Project Manager

The value proposition of this series is simple: if you get your handoffs right, you’ll reduce risk, increase transparency, and strengthen relationship, with your clients, your stakeholders, and equally important, your internal teams.

But first, let’s start at the beginning: the moment when the virtual ink on DocuSign is barely dry on a contract, and the salesperson is ready to move on to their next deal.

The Three Gaps of Sales → PM Handoffs

When I look back at Projects that struggled in the first few months, the issues rarely came down to bad luck. More often, they came down to one of three gaps in the handoff process.

1. The Process Gap

   1. Most organizations simply don’t have a structured handoff process. Sometimes you get a formal meeting. Sometimes you get a forwarded email chain. Sometimes you get nothing at all. Without a repeatable process, Projects start in chaos, and the PM spends the first month playing catch-up.

2. The Information Gap

   1. Even when a handoff does happen, critical details are often missing or misaligned. Sales promised X, but the contract only says Y. The client is expecting weekly executive check-ins, but that was never scoped. Suddenly you’re in firefighting mode, Managing scope creep and client disappointment.

3. The Relationship Gap

   1. Perhaps the most underestimated gap is the relationship gap. A poor handoff not only creates confusion; it damages trust. Clients feel like they’re starting over with a new team that doesn’t understand them. Internal teams feel blindsided and disconnected. A good handoff, on the other hand, strengthens reputation and sets the tone for collaboration.

When we, as Project Managers, address all three gaps, we’re not just inheriting a Project, we’re inheriting confidence. For better or worse, that will impact the client’s confidence as well because more often than not, the Client will be very eager to start the project. Whether they have stakes or not in the project, the Client will have expectations set by the Sales Manager that will then be heightened or crashed when the Project Manager receives the contract and starts the project.

While there may not be any malice behind anyone’s actions, the lack of a successful handoff will be the deciding factor that will set the tone. So how can we guarantee success?

Best Practices for the Sales → PM Handoff

So what does a successful handoff look like? Let’s start with two simple principles.

Aside from the steps I’ll be detailing in this post (and, spoiler, the next ones in the series), it requires active engagement and communication. Whether it is during the entirety of the Sales Lifecycle, a part of it, or a meaningful session, it will require all parties to be organized and actively engaged by providing as much information as possible and asking questions.

First: Read the contract before talking to Sales. This might seem obvious, but too often, PMs are pulled into a conversation where Sales essentially “re-sells” the deal to them. The work has to be done, the Project Manager should not be convinced to do the contract. So, reading the contract first gives you a baseline, sharpens your questions, and ensures you’re not just nodding along to a pitch.

This means analyzing the contract (Check out this toolkit for analyzing contracts!), ensuring understanding what’s in and out-of-scope, timelines, budget, and any other nuance that will impact the project positively or negatively. Capturing risks will begin at this step!

Second: Use a One-Pager Handoff Document. This doesn’t need to be a 30-slide deck or a rushed info dump. It should be a simple, structured document that captures the essentials: who the client is, what was promised, and what risks are already on the table.

Although I write “second step”, this must be done as quickly as possible by the Sales Manager, and ideally built during the Sales Lifecycle. This document will help you and the Project Manager to understand what’s outside of the contract. Meaning that this is NOT a copy-pasta of the contract, this document is meant to help everyone understand the environment, emotions, and stakes not expressly written out in the contract.

Here’s a template you can adapt for your own teams.

Sales → PM Handoff One-Pager

Category	Details
Project Basics	This section can vary depending on how your organization is organized and labels things.
Client / Company Name	-
Industry / Sector	-
Location(s) / Time Zone(s)	-
Project Title / Reference ID	-
Stakeholders
Primary Contact (Name, Role, Email/Phone)	If not written out in the contract.
Decision Makers	If not written out in the contract.
Influencers	This is a key role of the people that will have either official or unofficial influence other the project and its stakeholders. Influencers will either make or break the project because they will be the biggest ally if they’re kept satisfied.
Other Key Contacts (vendors, partners, internal SMEs)	⚠️ Do not overlook this section! As Sales Manager, or Project Manager participating in the Sales Lifecycle, you have the opportunity to let the Client start conversations that can expedite tasks and uncover unknown unknowns for the project.
Relationship & Context
Client “temperature” (positive, neutral, strained)	Whether you keep this in a RACI or some other document, explaining how the Client will come into this can help the Project Manager gauge how to interact and engage.
Relationship history	How long have you been working with the Client? Is this the first time engaged? If not, why?
Past interactions worth noting	⚠️ Do not overlook this section! While sharing recordings and meeting minutes will be key in helping the Project Manager, don’t info dump, highlight specific requests, fears, expectations, opportunities. While not everything may have not made it to scope, there is definitely space for further discussions. And these interactions will help pain the picture of the project outcome.
Scope & Commitments
Promises made during sales cycle	While it is imperative to write everything down in the contract, there will inevitably be the “we will do that” that won’t be written down but expected in the project. Don’t let these pop up three months down the line and then consequently derail the project. Promises made but not communicated will destroy relationships and trust.
Contract inclusions	If not written out in the contract.
Known exclusions	If not written out in the contract.
Risks & Pain Points
Stakeholder concerns	Nothing is too small.
Dependencies (vendors, systems, teams)	-
Regulatory / compliance requirements	⚠️ Do not overlook this section! Holding these conversations early will allow the Client and the Project Team to organize themselves early. Sometimes permits are riddled with red tape, other times getting the right resource on from another vendor will take time a simple “Are there any regulatory changes that you are aware of that may take place during the project or soon after?” Will change the course of the project and Client satisfaction for the best.
Opportunities / upsell areas	These can also help mitigate scope creep.
Key Milestones	If not written out in the contract.
Kickoff date (proposed/committed)	Make note of any unofficial committed dates! Saying “we’ll have this very quickly” is not just subjective, but sets the Project Team up for failure.
Major deliverables already promised	If not written out in the contract.
Any hard deadlines	If not written out in the contract.

This one-pager isn’t just for handoff day. It should directly feed into your Project artifacts: the charter, stakeholder register, risk log, RACI, and draft schedule. Revisit and update it during initiation and planning, this is not a document that once created you forget. So once you have created the one-pager, don’t let it sit idly by, this is the seed of a working document.

Building the Working Document

Think of the one-pager as the seed of a working document. As the Sales Cycle moves forward, this document evolves into a living reference.

Here’s what it can capture:

• Initial risks (positive and negative).

• Stakeholder expectations versus the contract.

• Unresolved items from the sales cycle.

• Lessons learned from similar past Projects.

The benefit here is traceability. Instead of scattered notes and memories, you have a consistent document that shows how early context informed the Project artifacts. It also makes onboarding new team members smoother.

On one Project I worked on, a small detail about client time zones — something easily overlooked — helped us avoid scheduling kickoff workshops at 2 a.m. for half the client’s team. Small details can save big headaches.

Building a “Kickoff Prep” Log

Sometimes Sales can’t give you all the answers. That’s not a knock on Sales, they aren’t experts at everything related to the Client or they’ve already moved on to their next target. But it does mean the Project Manager or the SMEs can’t be proactive.

That’s where a “Kickoff Prep” log comes in. This is a running list of questions to close gaps before kickoff.

Here are categories to build from:

• Client: Who will have the final say? Who are people that can help you and us achieve the Design Phase? The Execution Phase? During Training? Delivery?

• Scope: Are there any things you’d like to see after this implementation? If something gets descoped, are you open for an improvement initiative?

• Stakeholders: What are their motivations, concerns, and success definitions?

• Dependencies: Which vendors, systems, or internal teams need to be involved? This relates to the Client and Stakeholder questions.

• Risks: What are the blockers or “landmines” we could face?

Some of these questions can be delicate. Timing and tone matter. But having a backlog ensures you won’t forget to ask, and you won’t get caught off guard in front of the client. And if you haven’t noticed yet, these are answers that will feed directly into the Handoff Document 😉

Industry-Specific Variations

Not all Projects look the same. The type of Project you’re inheriting should shape what you ask and document.

• Software Implementation: system readiness, integrations, security/compliance, training needs.

• Training Project: learner profile, delivery mode, language/time zone needs, materials and technology dependencies.

• Construction Project: permits, site logistics, safety requirements, subcontractor coordination that may be specific to this project.

• Marketing Campaign: brand guidelines, creative assets, audience targeting, timing dependencies like product launches or PR reviews.

Each of these has unique “watch outs.” But the categories are the same: dependencies, risks, compliance, and people factors.

The Relationship Between Sales & PM

Now let’s talk about the people side.

Sales teams are motivated to close deals. PMs are motivated to deliver them. Those aren’t the same goals, but they’re not in conflict either, as long as the handoff builds trust. This is a two-way street.

Here’s what works:

• Acknowledge Sales’ reality. They’re incentivized to move on. Respect that, but get what you need.

• Build trust internally. Position yourself as a partner, not a roadblock.

• Recognize knowledge limitations. Sales may not know the technical or operational details. Fill those gaps with structured questioning.

• Highlight mutual benefit. Strong handoffs reduce escalations for Sales and make upsells easier. Everyone wins.

• Create alignment rituals. Short syncs, shadowing sessions, or even joint client calls build continuity and reduce client whiplash.

When Sales and PMs work in harmony, the client sees an organization that’s aligned, professional, and trustworthy.

One of the most successful projects I’ve led was with a Sales Manager who went above and beyond in the handoff. She didn’t just check boxes, she proactively removed barriers, liaised between the project team and the client, and continuously looked for improvement opportunities. She even designed a handoff process that captured everything: detailed client org charts, project history, and expectations that weren’t in the contract.

Because of budget and bandwidth, my involvement in the Sales Lifecycle was minimal. But thanks to her process, I felt like I had been there every step of the way. I could see requirements, risks, and gaps clearly, and I was able to communicate and manage them with my team. Even when challenges came up, some in our control and some not, the information and support provided made it possible to build trust with the client and work toward win-win compromises. Needless to say, she’s now a Director.

Internal vs External Clients

Not every Project comes from an external sales cycle. Sometimes your “client” is internal — another department or leadership team.

For external clients, the focus is on promises made, relationship tone, risks, and emotional context. For internal clients, the focus shifts to alignment: OKRs, KPIs, priorities, and cross-team dependencies.

In both cases, the principle is the same: the handoff document becomes the single source of truth.

Think of the difference this way:

• External → structured debrief on promises and risks.

• Internal → alignment workshop to prioritize goals (think KPIs and OKRs).

Either way, clarity up front prevents confusion later.

Lessons Learned & Opportunities

One of the overlooked benefits of a structured handoff is that it surfaces opportunities.

• Sales-cycle conversations often reveal upsell possibilities.

• Offhand comments can expose hidden scope items that need clarification.

• Reviewing client calls can uncover political dynamics or personalities that could derail progress.

And here’s the key: feeding this back to Sales creates a feedback loop. Capturing lessons learned at the handoff closes not only today’s gaps but tomorrow’s as well.

Conclusion

The handoff from Sales to Project Manager isn’t just a formality. It’s where success or failure begins. Handled poorly, it creates confusion, scope creep, and strained relationships. Handled well, it equips the PM with the social, emotional, technical, and functional context to lead with confidence.

The one-pager, the question backlog, and alignment rituals may seem like small tools, but they pay big dividends. They close the process, information, and relationship gaps that derail too many Projects.

This week, I encourage you to start building out your own one-pager template. Look at your organization and your project, what makes sense to add based on your process and culture?

In the next post of this series, we’ll look at the second critical transition: the handoff from Project Team → Operations. Because a Project doesn’t just need to be delivered — it needs to be sustained.