Will your sale survive the close? Driven by immediate and often selfish gain, most salespeople do not see beyond the sale. The gain isn’t always monetary (like commissions or bonuses)—it can also be non-monetary, such as reduced pressure to hit targets or the simple relief of keeping their job.
Seeing beyond the sale is the mark of maturity in salesmanship. Whether you’re aware of it or not, it’s the wisdom to not only eat the eggs—but, more importantly, to protect the hen that lays them. For your sale to survive the close, there are three key things to consider.
1. Transfer the appropriate energy
As I’ve shared here before, Sales is a transfer of emotions. For your sale to survive the close, you need to be keenly aware what energy you are transferring to the prospect. Confidence and trust for instance, beat desperation and neediness every time. This is why, when we say that stupidity gets you places in selling, what this means is that customers buy from people who make them feel smart, not foolish; understood, not intimidated.
“I bought because I did not want to look foolish. The consultant used corporate buzzwords which, honestly, we did not understand; but because we are executives, he had come highly recommended, and he was pitching in the boardroom we went along with him. It is a mistake we do not intend to repeat. That is why we are going with a different consultant this year and have no intention of going back to him.”
You can win the sale and still lose the relationship. That’s a sale that didn’t go beyond the sale—and certainly didn’t survive the close.
2. Think beyond the sale when setting expectations
If you’re selling a tertiary institution (college, TVET, or university), be deliberate in how you manage graduate job expectations. Most learners believe they’ll get a job upon graduation. Even sceptics are often told, “Just get the certificate—you’d rather ‘tarmac’ with a degree than without one.”
So, when you sell, “We guarantee jobs on graduation,” it might get you the enrolment—but destroy the institution’s credibility down the line-effectively, killing the hen. A single TikTok video accusing the school of lying (“They promised us jobs!”) can spark a digital #metoo revolt that ends the referral pipeline.
When you overpromise to win the sale, the post-sale experience becomes a ticking time bomb. Buyers begin to feel tricked when what they bought doesn’t match what they get. In contrast, when you manage expectations honestly, you may risk losing a few fast sales—but the ones you win will stick. Hence, “We are continually working with potential employers to match our learners with opportunities” sets a realistic tone—not a guarantee, but a commitment. It builds trust, not hype. That’s how you build beyond the sale.
A sale that survives the close leaves the customer clearer, not confused; assured, not anxious.
3. How you build relationships
‘Hit and run selling’. Insurance agents, in particular, fall into this trap.
“The guy was all over us until the payment hit. After that, we could barely get him on the phone. We didn’t mind it too much when we needed a clarification—but when I got into an accident and needed help with a claim, I felt completely abandoned. And the worst part? He shamelessly showed up on the renewal date a year later. We ignored him completely.”
Some salespeople treat the close as the end of the interaction. Mature salespeople know it’s just the beginning. Customers talk. They refer. They review. They return. But only when they feel seen, not used.
Building trust beyond the sale
Even if you’re handing over a relationship to the service or fulfilment team, how you do it matters. That’s why, in the U.S., elections are held in November but the swearing-in happens in January—to allow for a smooth transition. (By comparison, ours is 14 days between General Election and Assumption of Office or Swearing in. Would a longer transition be more effective?)
Just like you, the responsible one who doesn’t simply transfer a call and hang up. Instead, you stay on the line, confirm the other party picks up, and ensure they’re properly briefed on who’s calling. You do that, right?
That’s what it looks like to build beyond the sale.
Beyond the sale: The true test of your close
A sale that doesn’t survive the close is like a wedding that ends with the honeymoon. Loud. Exciting. And ultimately, short-lived. But when you focus on the energy you bring, the expectations you set, and the relationships you nurture, you begin to build sales that outlive the close.
Will your sales survive the close?
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