How can you maintain a strong relationship with your counterpart after a sales negotiation?

Timing is key to following up. I generally like to touch base with the client an hour or two after we talked under the premise of seeking to answer any questions that might have arisen, clarify any concepts discussed, and confirm the next meeting.

A swift, thoughtful follow-up post-negotiation is more than good manners—it's strategic. Send a personalized thank-you to acknowledge the effort on both sides, summarize agreed terms for clarity, and outline next steps to keep momentum. This fosters rapport, prevents misunderstandings, and sets the stage for a successful partnership. Always aim for prompt communication (within 24 hours), anticipate follow-up queries, and keep meticulous records. Professionalism and a personalized touch not only reflect respect but also pave the way for a fruitful collaboration.

This is so very important to do. It’s very easy to drop the ball in a fast-paced sales environment where sales cycles may be long but other things in work pull you away. It’s just as important before as after the close to do what you said you would do.

As a professional sales person, you eat or starve by your reputation. If you over-promise and under-deliver, word will get around. Commit to actions you can control. If the client needs something outside of what your company can deliver, find a solution for them. If you help them succeed, they will remember, and give you an opportunity later.

You actually do what it is you said you would do and promised. Follow up and follow through. And write a thank you letter too.

All parties should be accountable to honoring the agreement in principle. Trust is built on integrity and that is a two way street. I will not do business with people who lack integrity, and I would expect people would hold me to that same standard.

Whenever the circumstances all, do more. Doing more than what you say you will do will always be remembered, and most likely show your client that your actions speak louder than words!

Building a long term relationship based on friendship and trust is the key to anything long term. I do not have clients, I have friends that happen to come to me when they need my help in my field.

Why wait until the end? I see to many businesses waiting to the end of the process to seek feedback. Why does that happen? FEAR...fear of hearing something that's not wanted to be heard perhaps? No news is good news...they'll tell me if it's not right. I believe you should build in feedback at every stage of your sales process and your buyers journey. Best to heck they're still on the bus with you don't you think? ??

It's important to remember that once the deal is signed, you now become business partners with mutual vested interest in implementing it successfully. The seller has revenue targets to hit and the buyer has cost-savings or other internal goals. Working collaboratively will benefit both parties.

Having spent time on both sides of the negotiation, this transition is so often overlooked by both parties. For any measure of success to happen the parties much shift from being across from each other to being next to each other, pivoting to execution, enacting all the points negotiated so the benefits of that hard work can be realized by both. Only a fraction of the value of any negotiation (especially in the B2B world) comes solely from signing on the dotted line. The real value comes from doing what was agreed to. Know when to stop negotiating and start implementing.

Appreciation can vary based on who you are speaking with, so know your audience. To some people, a thank you is enough, to others buying them a drink, or giving them swag, still others might appreciate a social meeting elsewhere under friendly pretenses.

Asking for referrals from a friend that sees value in what you do will be to your benefit 100% of the time. If you are mostly transactional in nature, your mileage may vary on the returns with that.

I usually research the person before negotiating to get to know them better and try to find common ground and strengths. In negotiating with common points, we build more relationships and gain more trust by praising strengths. This practice allows me to have a successful negotiation and build a stronger relationship