The
term “post-sales remorse” is nothing new to me. I have read this term in many a
sales training book, motivational presentation hand-out, and have heard it
preached by a variety of sales trainers. In almost all cases it relates to or
is defined as the timeframe when a client, just immediately after the signature
to begin a project or release of a PO for a product purchase, begins to question
their decision. They are wondering if they made the right choice in a new
vendor or partner. They continue, even though they’ve now made a purchase, to
look at the options in the market. They are second guessing themselves.
Any
‘A’ level sales person knows the signs & symptoms, and more specifically,
knows how to head them off before they become a real concern. We all experience
“post-sales remorse” at some time in our lives. Think about these questions
that I’m sure you’ve asked yourself: does this shirt I just bought really look
good on me? Should I have upgraded the options on my new car? Did I really need
to spend the extra money on the hotel room for vacation? These are personal
scenarios, but similar questions creep in during buying decisions in our professional
lives as well. And again, as the sales person, you should be aware that this is
a rather common occurrence and you should be prepared to deal with it.
A
few steps I take when dealing with clients in “post-sales remorse” stage are
simple. I remind them of the reasons why they chose me and/or my firm in the
first place. I also remind them of our excitement to have them as a new client.
And, I restate all of the plans for their project (or if you are in product
sales – what expectations they should have for quality and on-time delivery,
etc.). You must put their mind at ease. A signature or PO is not the close. It
is knowing your new client is engaged and feels assured that they made the
right decision.
Every
company has a different process and every sales person has a different style.
To prepare for the “post-sales remorse” stage, simply keep a list of the common
concerns your clients address with you immediately following the signature or
release of the PO. Trust me, they’re there. Put this list in your journal or someplace
handy that you can view in quick reference. Second, next to each concern, write
your response or description of heading off the concern. These will become
second nature and eventually you will no longer need to look back into your
journal each time, but more as a reminder from time-to-time.
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