Has this ever happened to you?
You close a great sale, only to get bogged down in delivering your product and service to finish the deal by issues on the buyer’s side . . . ultimately making you look bad in the process.
Here is how to avoid that scenario.
Right after closing (or even before if you think it is appropriate), send a short thank you letter with two lists:
- A list of things you have agreed to do.
- A list of things the buyer has agreed to do.
This can also be converted into a running check list that can be recirculated each week, for example.
This way, if things start to bog down, you can nip issues in the bud while also gently pointing out that the ball may be in the buyer’s court, not yours, at any given point in the process.
Buyers have short memories, and when in doubt they will ultimately default to their more powerful position unless you can control the process and remind them that they too are accountable for the success of the relationship.
Getting a commitment, in writing, at the beginning of the process, can preempt all sorts of issues down the road, particularly when new people become involved and the relationship becomes more complex.
