The Hand Raiser Stage represents people seeking expert guidance and validation, ready to engage but not yet committed. As Joshua Oakes explains, “They’ve given you an active signal that they want to talk to somebody, and they need your help.”
The Human Experience
“I need help!”
People in this stage are:
- Seeking expert guidance
- Ready for conversation
- Needing validation and direction
- Not yet fully committed
- Raising hand for different reasons
Critical Recognition
Hand Raisers aren’t all the same. They’re raising hands for different reasons:
- Some need a third bid for procurement
- Others are planning next year’s budget
- Some are genuinely ready to move forward
- Many are still in evaluation mode
The key is recognizing their actual need, not forcing them into our process.
What They Need
Expert Guidance:
- Access to knowledgeable people
- Honest assessment of fit
- Validation of their thinking
- Help navigating decisions
Respectful Engagement:
- Conversation, not interrogation
- Exploration, not qualification
- Partnership, not processing
- Understanding, not scoring
Authentic Support:
- Help with their actual need
- Respect for their timing
- Support for their process
- No artificial pressure
What NOT To Do
❌ Immediately qualify them ❌ Force them into your sales process ❌ Treat all hand raisers the same ❌ Pressure for immediate commitment ❌ Score and route mechanically
Signal Recognition
Hand Raisers show readiness through:
- Direct outreach and contact
- Specific questions requiring expertise
- Request for conversation
- Active signal of need for help
- Willingness to engage directly
Supporting Their Journey
Provide Genuine Help:
- Understand their actual need
- Offer appropriate guidance
- Support their decision process
- Respect their unique situation
Enable Natural Progression:
- Let relationship develop organically
- Support their timing
- Build trust through service
- Allow conviction to build naturally
The Progression
Some Hand Raisers naturally progress to Buyer when:
- Expert guidance builds conviction
- Organizational case becomes clear
- Stakeholder alignment emerges
- Timing and readiness align
But many need extended support, and that’s perfectly fine.
Why It Matters
Honoring the Hand Raiser stage:
- Builds trust through authentic help
- Enables genuine partnership
- Creates confident decision-makers
- Develops sustainable relationships
- Leads to better long-term outcomes
The hand raise is a signal of trust—honor it with genuine service, not mechanical processing.