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Hook: You fought for the meeting, navigated the decision-making process, handled the objections, and got the signature. So why is the deal still at risk? The uncomfortable truth is that the period between a signed contract and the first deliverable is one of the most dangerous stretches in the entire sales cycle — and most sellers treat it like a vacation.

Summary: This week on The Sandler Training Hour, we step outside the typical prospecting-and-pipeline conversation to tackle what happens after the close. We dig into why buyer's remorse doesn't just live in the moment of purchase — it festers in silence — and what we need to build into our post-sale process to keep clients engaged, informed, and confident they made the right decision.

Key Topics Covered

Empathy for the Buyer's Journey Doesn't End at the Signature Before a buyer ever reaches us, they've already been cycling through indecision: Should we do this? Should we still do this? By the time they sign, they've made a big emotional commitment — and they're ready for what comes next. If we go silent, we leave them sitting alone with that decision, and that's where cancellations are born. We talk about why recognizing the weight of their commitment is the first step in protecting the deal.

Jim's "Ring the Bell" Ritual — Building a Celebration Into Your Close Jim shares a story from his remodeling sales days: a large showroom, a school-style bell mounted at the front of the office, and a ritual where every new client was invited to ring it. Half a dozen team members would pour out of their offices, clapping and congratulating. It transformed the emotional residue of a long, difficult buying decision into an exclamation point — a peak moment that cemented the client's confidence. We discuss why building a deliberate celebration into your process matters more than you think, and how to adapt the concept regardless of what you sell.

The Timeline, The Point of Contact, and the Communication Cadence We break down the three non-negotiables for the post-sale handoff: (1) a clear timeline showing the client exactly when they will hear from you and about what, (2) a named primary point of contact so they never wonder who to call, and (3) a communication cadence that keeps them informed even when there's nothing new to report. The lesson: define who takes the next action, or the client will take theirs.

Over-Communication Is Almost Never the Problem We challenge the instinct to hold back because you're afraid of "bothering" the client. Jim's team called clients every two days when a product was late — even just to say "no update yet" — and never once received a complaint. The real risk isn't that you communicate too much; it's that you mind-read your way into silence. And if you're the kind of person who prides yourself on "reading the room," we push back on that too: reading a room without acting on what you see is functionally the same as not reading it at all.

Challenge of the Week Audit your post-sale process this week. Map the timeline from signed contract to first deliverable and ask yourself: does my client know exactly what happens next, when they'll hear from us, and who to contact if something feels off? If any of those answers are unclear — or if the answer is "silence" — build the communication bridge before you lose the next deal

The Sandler Training Hour Hosted by Jim & Jason Stephens | Crossroads Business Development

We help sales professionals stop apologizing for their process and start closing deals.

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