By Harry J. Friedman Founder/CEO, The Friedman Group

You've just closed the sale. At this point, many salespeople make the mistake of assuming that the sale is over. Few salespeople consider the fact that every customer who has the power to buy something also has the power to return it. Although you may complete all of the necessary steps up to and including the close, you still need to cement the sale in your customer's mind.

Confirmations & Invitations is a two-part process. The confirmation process helps eliminate buyer's remorse and the possibility of returns and cancellations. Invitations, the process of inviting the customer to come back at a later date, encourages personal trade and repeat business.

If you express approval of your customer's purchase BEFORE the sale is complete, it will be considered as part of the sales pitch rather than as an independent and personal confirmation. If you say, "I'm so glad you decided to buy this one," while ringing up the purchase, it will seem as though you are gloating over the victory of the sale.

If you express your approval of a purchase AFTER the transaction is complete, the emphasis is placed on your customer and their happiness, rather than on your own happiness with the sale. Once the transaction is complete, you are no longer perceived as a salesperson. You are just another human being in a store. Complimentary remarks from you will be taken as sincere rather than as a typical sales pitch.

The Confirmation: Cementing the Sale

Timing is critical to the effectiveness of your confirmation. What you actually say depends upon the specific situation. Suppose Mr. and Mrs. Wilson just purchased a gold locket for their daughter in honor of her graduation from college. She's never worn a locket before, and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Wilson is sure their daughter will like one. A confirmation of this particular sale could go like this:

"Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, I think you've made an excellent choice for your daughter's graduation present. Not only will the value of the locket appreciate over the years, but it will serve to remind your daughter of one of the proudest achievements in life."

Notice in this example how the salesperson not only tells the customers what an excellent choice they made, but also reminds them about one or two benefits that were presumably pointed out in the demonstration. This helps to further cement the sale by reinforcing why the customers purchased the merchandise in the first place.

Although every confirmation will be customized for every customer situation, there are basic guidelines to follow:

1. Use the customer's name. Having spent the past few minutes with your customer, you should know their name. If you don't, look for it on the check, credit card or sales slip. Using people's names is much more personalized than referring to them as Miss or Sir

2. Use the words I and you. This helps to further personalize the exchange. It's not the store that's thanking the customer; it's you. Additionally, be sure to give the customer full credit for making the wise buying decision by using the word you.

3. Confirm why the purchase is a wise one. Tie your confirmation to the reasons for the customer's purchase by including a few key benefits you covered during the demonstration or points you learned during probing.

The Invitation: Requesting another Visit

Once upon a time, you could gain repeat customers with a simple, "Thanks, and have a nice day." Unfortunately, that's no longer true. Today there are a million other salespeople out there trying to win over YOUR customers.

To be really successful in sales, you've got to get your customers to come back to you, as well as send their friends your way. It's easier to sell to a repeat or referral customer than to a new one. With the invitation process, you are literally inviting your customers back to the store.

Your invitation, which follows the confirmation of the sale, is carefully worded according to the customer's specific situation. Just as with confirmations, there are some basic guidelines for successfully inviting your customers back to your store:

1. Make an agreement with your customers. By beginning the invitation with "Will you do me a favor?" you are getting the customer to make an agreement with you to return to your store.

How many times have you said "Yes" to someone who's asked for a favor, before even hearing what the favor was first? Most customers are the same way. They will commit themselves to you before knowing what the favor actually is.

2. Invite the customer back to the store to see you. Once you have gotten your customer to agree to your request for a favor, ask the customer to come back to the store to see you, and give them a specific reason why you want them to come back. The best reason for getting customers to come back is so that they can let you know how their purchase has worked out for them or the person for whom they bought it.

Again, your invitation should be as specific as possible: "Next time you're downtown, will you stop by and let me know how the engagement ring worked out? I'd really love to hear."

You can even get more specific: "I want to see you back in here by the end of next week so you can let me know how much she loved it. That's the longest I can wait to find out!" Don't be afraid to test your customers' limits.

Putting It All Together

Confirmations and invitations go together. If done properly, they can be beautiful music to a customer's ears! Here's an example of the complete confirmation and invitation process:

Salesperson: Bob, I think you made the right choice in selecting this business phone system. The LED display will really make it easy for everyone in the office to learn to use, and the flexibility to move phones from one station to another should be a great relief to your office manager, too. Would you do me a favor?

Customer: Sure.

Salesperson: Next time you're visiting the shopping center, would you stop by and let me know how well the system is working out for you? I'd love to hear.

Customer: I will. Thanks for all your help.

Salesperson: It was my pleasure.

Think of this whole process as a "celebration of thanks." Your customer has money. You have merchandise. They chose to spend their money in your store with you. Let them know they made the right choice!