Inside the brief
Relevant context, supporting sources and a possible reason to connect. Open questions stay visible; a possible fit is not a confirmed need.
Research & standards
Understand the reason.
See its limits.
A reason to connect should be understandable—and open to the other business’s perspective.
See the workThe work
Understanding, made useful.
Your team reviews the preparation.
The receiving business can examine the reason for the approach.
Illustrated structure · Not completed client work
Inside the Handshake
The reason, who commissioned it, its supporting information and what is unknown. The receiving business brings its perspective. Access and response handling are agreed in scope.
Information handlingWhat we stand behind
Reviewed before it represents you.
- 1
Founder review.
Alex personally reviews the account brief and Handshake.
- 2
Your approval.
Your business reviews the work and approves what represents you.
- 3
An agreed scope.
Deliverables, responsibilities, timing and fee are agreed before starting.
What stays clear.
The preparation should make the reason inspectable, not turn a possible fit into a claim of need.
- Evidence & uncertainty
- The preparation distinguishes supplied information, source-supported statements, interpretation and unknowns. Sources and their limits remain inspectable.
- Corrections & human review
- A receiving business’s statement is attributed to it, not treated as independently verified. Handling, review and record-keeping are agreed before the pilot.
- Permission
- Access, sending and reply responsibilities are agreed in scope. A question, correction or date alone is not permission to follow up. Approving a presentation does not remove a contact restriction. A separate provider request needs its own scope and permission.
- Commercial relationships
- Make clear who commissioned the work. Any provider compensation for an introduction is disclosed separately from fit. Read the service-request disclosure.
- A valid no-match outcome
- Preparation may support holding back or keeping the current arrangement. The receiving business can question or decline an approach. Payment does not establish need or fit.
The CH mark identifies the prepared interaction; it does not certify the seller, product, suitability or outcome.
What the research tells usIndustry context
Time to prepare
60%
of reps’ workweek was spent on non-selling activities.
Our focus: prepare useful context for the conversation.
Salesforce · State of Sales, 2026Study details
4,050 sales professionals in 22 countries, surveyed August–September 2025. Time allocation: 60% non-selling, 40% selling (p. 8). This is not a measure of recoverable time or Clear Handshake savings.
A reason to connect
73%
of surveyed B2B buyers avoided suppliers sending irrelevant outreach.
Our focus: explain why the offer may fit this business.
Gartner · Buyer survey, 2025Study details
632 B2B buyers, surveyed August–September 2024; release published June 25, 2025. Reported avoidance of irrelevant outreach is not a measure of response or conversion rates.
One clear message
69%
of surveyed B2B buyers reported inconsistencies between supplier websites and sellers.
Our focus: review what represents your business together.
Gartner · Buyer survey, 2025Study details
The same 632-buyer survey. This measures reported information inconsistencies, not the effect of Clear Handshake’s review process.
Industry research provides context. Clear Handshake’s results are evaluated separately.
Gartner also found that buyers preferred seller input when assessing fit for their business. The aim is a more useful conversation. Read the finding ↗
The pilot
Judge the work.
Agree what matters.
Review what actually happens.
Quality
Are the reason, evidence and open questions clear?
Relevance
Can both businesses understand what is being considered?
Effort
Does it reduce preparation time after review and revisions?
How we review the pilot
Review all ten accounts, including no response and findings that suggest holding back. Compare like-for-like preparation tasks over the same period, including your team’s review time. Consider responses, next steps, reuse and value alongside quality. Assess new connections and existing customers separately. A sale or renewal alone does not establish what caused it.