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When all that hard work you put into getting the sale actually works, you might not know what to do next. Sometimes, salespeople don’t know when to stop selling, which can harm a deal they already made. Other times, a salesperson might sing those sweet songs of sales and have customers eating from their hand. Either way, there are several things that you can do after the sale that will help you maintain, and continue to grow, that customer relationship.
Here are 6 things you can do after the deal is sealed:
1. Keep Your Promises
No matter the product or service, once a customer signs the dotted line, you are committed to delivering everything you promised them. It is important to note that during the sales process it can be enticing to offer some sweet perks to get the close, but these can wind up returning to haunt you if you can’t deliver. Aside from looking as though you just wanted their money, if you deal-and-dash, the customer isn’t going to be feeling too rosy about you. Even worse, you have harmed the reputation of your company. The moral of the story is to always keep your promises.
2. Say Thank You
You know how it’s part of professional etiquette to message a ‘thank you’ letter to a potential employer after a job interview? The same thing applies here with customers. You want to make sure you follow up with your customers after the sale in a timely manner. This means no more than three days, tops. By thanking the customer for their business, you add a personalized touch that is lacking in so many businesses. A little ‘thank you’ will score you mega points with that customer, who is now more likely to come back to you when they need your product or service.
3. Stay Focused
If you’re thinking of grabbing a drink to celebrate closing a sale, you wouldn’t be much different from most salespeople. While nobody wants to rain on your parade, if you really want to succeed post-sale, you should go to another prospect and try to close that sale . Oftentimes, salespeople will get into a sort of “zone” where they can get multiple closes in a single day just by riding the wave of success from the prior sale. Many successful salespeople hold off on drinks until the weekend and stay focused on closing as many sales as they can during the week.
Related: 5 Ways Losing a Deal Can Make You Into a Better Salesperson
4. Find Referrals
One of the best ways to stay alive in sales is through customer referrals. This is usually out of the hands of salespeople, since referrals go from customer to customer. However, since you have a stellar reputation with your customers, you should ask them directly if they know anyone else that could use your services. Even if they don’t, they may keep an ear to the ground for you. You never know where your next customer will come from. When you’re busy working on closing deals, sometimes it can be useful to switch to another task to a) get into a different headspace so you don’t burn out, and b) to work ahead by lining up potential prospects. Also, don’t discount any referrals until you’ve had an initial contact, because you never know if any of them are potential customers.
5. Attempt to Upsell
After you make the sale, there will be a honeymoon period between the customer and the product or service. They will see what they purchased in action, and hopefully there will be some tangible results that we can reassure them of when we follow up. This is a perfect opportunity to try and upsell a customer . If the solution you provided them with is working great, why not upgrade to the next level? However, be careful. This is something that has to be done with finesse, or you risk souring the relationship with the customer. Try to upsell too soon after the sale and your customer will feel intimidated. Try too late after the sale and your customers may no longer be interested. Timing and attitude is key in getting the upsell.
6. Get Honest Feedback
After the sale is complete, you’re going to want to know how you did with the customer. One of the easiest ways to gauge your performance is by sending your customers a detailed survey. Their answers would be to specific questions regarding the sales experience they had. The questions should look for answers that can provided qualitative analysis. These would likely be in the form of a short yet thorough questionnaire. You can conduct these via email using any sufficient survey site, such as SurveyMonkey. The data you collect will be invaluable in learning your strengths and weaknesses in the sales process. The more honest your customers can be, the better the feedback is for you. You can also use this information in customer testimonials that go a long way.
Bottom Line:
You got the sale, but you can’t start patting yourself on the back just yet. Post-sale, you have to look at customer retention from this point forward, because that customer will be you until they no longer need your products or services. You have to come up with strategies that will give you customer loyalty. When customers want to embrace your brand, you have to have open arms. This trust will continue blossom the relationship until both the customer and salesperson are satisfied doing business together. If you have a strong customer relationship, your retention rates will soar.
These are some excellent ways to maintain your relationship with customers. With a little practice you’ll have time in-between customers to work towards upselling and retentions. Check out an AI-Powered sales automation CRM such as Spiro, which can help you stay organized and optimized throughout the sales process, including after the sale.