3 Keys to Success AFTER You Close The Sale

by Ryan Taft

Recently, my wife (Melissa) and I were discussing how to build and maintain relationships. For the record, she is arguably the most amazing person I know when it comes to relationships.

Melissa shared something with me that got me thinking. She said, “The worst thing you can do is to only feed a relationship to the extent that the relationship will serve your personal needs.”

Of course I had to ask her to “tell me more about that.” She went on to explain that certain people only breathe life into their relationships when there is something to be gained.

This conversation got me thinking about sales…as usual. Does this relationship faux pas happen with our customers? Uhhh…yeah. Particularly after we close someone and get the sale.

Due to my travel schedule, I spend an enormous amount of time eating at restaurants. Most of the time food servers seem very interested in making sure I am properly taken care of. After all, their tip is on the line, right? He or she will check back on me multiple times while keeping my water or Arnold Palmer refilled.

Once I receive my check and have left my tip I am often completely forgotten about. No more refills. No more checking in to see how I am doing. #Gone.

Maybe this happens to you. Do you know why? Think back to what Melissa shared with me; they are only interested in the relationship to the extent it serves them. “I got my tip, peace out.”

What about you?

Are you the type of sales person who gets the commission and then drops the relationship? If so, I promise you are missing out on future sales and some great friendships.

Three tips for maintaining the relationship after you close the sale:

1. Stay Connected – I know this seems elementary, but I have to tell you, it doesn’t happen very much. Mostly because sales people fear buyer’s remorse or again, they are just focused on their commission.

I encourage you to connect on Facebook, send text messages and call. In other words, be social and ‘add them to your tribe,’ if you will.

There is nothing worse than a sales person who fakes a relationship to make a sale then disappears for a good amount of time only to randomly call in the future to sell that person something.

2. Remain Interested – Old school sales training has overly emphasized being ‘interesting’ to customers. Instead, get very interested. Interested in what? In their lives.

Send birthday notes. Call them for no reason but to check in and see how they are doing. Get to know what is happening with their family. Again, it helps if you are connecting for reasons other than to sell them something.

3. Continue to Provide Value – There is a huge shift in marketing these days. In some circles the method is the “Give-Get” model.

Companies send free samples to hopeful customers before the customer ever spends a dime. Online marketers give away free books before their prospect ever makes a purchase. In essence, companies are proving their value before getting the sale. You get the idea.

Even if you already made a commission, why not continue providing value after the sale? Who is to say they won’t buy from you again or they won’t refer someone your way?

One way of providing value is through education. If you sell cars, then send an email or video explaining the top ten ways to maintain your vehicle during the winter. If you are a hairdresser, then offer a blog recommendation on how to avoid split ends. Selling real estate might mean sending a list of recommended restaurants in the area.

The average sales person won’t do any of the above ideas. That is why they are average. You, on the other hand, are not average. You wouldn’t be reading this if that were the case.

Continue building relationships beyond the close and watch how you will continue to impact your customer’s world.