3 Lessons in Sales “Aftercare” by @SandraDawes

by Sandra Dawes | Featured Contributor

In the last month I’ve had two encounters with sales people that left me a little disappointed. They were both very enthusiastic at the beginning – calling me regularly for follow-ups, offering their help and support to help me make the best decision for me.  Everything was great until I signed on the dotted line. All of a sudden the calls stopped calling and promises were left unfulfilled. I decided to use this as a learning experience and thought I’d share my thoughts. Here are 3 things to remember after you’ve closed the sale:

1. It’s better to under-promise and over-deliverIf you make promises to your clients about personalized service or attention that you aren’t confident you can fulfill, it’s probably best you don’t say anything at all. We all know the saying that actions speak louder than words. Wouldn’t you rather have your clients or customers be pleasantly surprised by all that you did rather than be disappointed by the things you didn’t do? Don’t promise the world just because you want to make the sale. Remember, bad news travels fast and you don’t want word to get out that you’re not all you present yourself to be. Be truthful with yourself about what you are willing and able to do. Your clients will think you for it!

2. Don’t leave your customer feeling it was just about the saleI was actually thinking about making this article a comparison between dating and sales because of this lesson! Even if you’re focus was on making the sale, the customer shouldn’t be left feeling that they were just a means to an end. Even if you’re the sales person and not the person actually providing the product or service, that doesn’t mean that you can’t follow-up to make sure the rest of the process was handled smoothly. I believe that coming from a place of service at all times is important to sustainable success in business. When you leave your customers feeling like you care about how whatever product or service you sold them is impacting their business, they are more likely to provide referrals and repeat business.

3. Express gratitudeIn today’s competitive market, being the one that your client or customer chose to work with is an honor. Of course what you have is valuable and wonderful and they will get to learn how truly awesome you are as they continue to work with you, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t show appreciation for the start of a new relationship. There are so many way to show customer appreciation. Whether it’s sending flowers, a card or another suitable token of thanks, it goes a long way in providing your client with the feeling that they picked exactly the right person to work with.

While I was briefly annoyed with my not-so-great experiences with sales people in the last few weeks, I am grateful for the experience. They serve as a reminder of the things that I don’t want to do to my own clients. They remind me about the value of cultivating a relationship with clients and potential clients alike.

What lessons would you add to this list? Feel free to share in the comments!

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Sandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop making arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit www.embraceyourdestiny.ca.

Sandra Dawes

Sandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit sandradawes.com.