1Budget confirmed — by whom, when?Named person, specific date, exact amount. Not "they have budget."
2Economic buyer engaged — directly?Your direct conversation with the person signing. Not your champion's word.
3Paper process started — with dates?If procurement hasn't started, your close date is an assumption.
4Champion has done what — specifically?Intro to economic buyer? Set a board-level meeting? Renegotiated terms? Vague support doesn't count.
5Loss path identified — what's the second choice?If your prospect goes dark, who do they switch to and why? Know the competitor win condition.
6Legal / security / compliance — where in the queue?"We've started" is not a timeline. Get the checkpoint date and who owns it.
7What breaks if this slips 30 days?The VP wants proof of urgency. This answer is it. If they can't answer it, neither can you.