In many sales organizations, lost deals are treated as a failure to close. The assumption is that the salesperson did not create enough urgency, did not present effectively, or did not ask for the business strongly enough.
In reality, many deals are lost after the buyer has already said yes.
Sales leaders frequently hear the same frustrating explanation:
“We liked the conversation, but we decided to go in a different direction.”
This outcome is rarely caused by price or solution fit. More often, it is the result of a missing Post Sell conversation.
Understanding Post Sell in the Sandler Methodology
Within the Sandler framework, Post Sell refers to the deliberate conversation that occurs after the buyer agrees in principle but before the meeting ends. Its purpose is to protect the decision by identifying doubt, hesitation, or internal resistance while the seller is still present.
Post Sell is not about applying pressure or seeking reassurance. It is about ensuring clarity, alignment, and commitment before the buyer leaves the room.
When Post Sell is skipped, unresolved concerns tend to surface later, when the salesperson no longer has access or influence.
Why Deals Unravel After Verbal Agreement
Buyers often leave meetings feeling positive yet uncertain. Excitement can mask unresolved concerns, and polite agreement can be mistaken for commitment. Once the meeting ends, internal dynamics take over.
Common issues that surface after the fact include:
Influence from an incumbent vendor
Internal stakeholders raising objections
Budget scrutiny or shifting priorities
Fear of making the wrong decision
At that point, the seller is reacting instead of leading, and reopening the conversation becomes far more difficult.
What Effective Post Sell Looks Like
A strong Post Sell conversation is calm, direct, and professional. It invites the buyer to be candid while positioning the seller as a partner, not a persuader.
Examples of effective Post Sell questions include:
What concerns do you still have that we have not discussed?
What could cause this decision to change after today?
Who else might have reservations once this moves forward?
What happens internally once you communicate this decision?
What alternatives are you still weighing, even informally?
If this does not move forward, what would be the reason?
These questions normalize uncertainty and allow the seller to address risks before they become deal killers.
Post Sell Is a Leadership Standard, Not a Seller Preference
Post Sell should not be optional or personality driven. It is a leadership discipline.
Sales leaders who want accurate forecasts and predictable revenue must coach Post Sell with the same rigor as discovery and qualification. This includes:
Reviewing deals lost after apparent agreement
Coaching sellers to recognize enthusiasm versus commitment
Role playing Post Sell conversations in team meetings
Requiring Post Sell confirmation before forecasting deals
When leaders accept vague commitments, sellers learn to avoid discomfort, and revenue suffers as a result.
The Cost of Ignoring Post Sell
Deals lost after a verbal yes create more damage than a missed opportunity. They erode forecast confidence, waste selling time, and frustrate high performing salespeople who believed the deal was secure.
Post Sell is the difference between hoping deals close and knowing they will.
If your team consistently hears “we changed our mind,” the issue is not effort, activity, or market conditions. It is the absence of a critical conversation at the end of the meeting.
How Gerry Weinberg & Associates Helps Sales Teams Master Post Sell
At Gerry Weinberg & Associates, we work with sales leaders and teams to build repeatable, disciplined selling behaviors that improve close rates and forecast accuracy. Post Sell is a core focus of our coaching and sales development programs.
We help teams:
Identify where deals are most likely to unravel
Build confidence in addressing hesitation directly
Coach sellers to lead decisive end of meeting conversations
Improve pipeline reliability and revenue predictability
If your team is losing deals after strong meetings, let’s talk.
A single Post Sell conversation can change how your sales team closes business.
