You Just Closed the Deal. Congratulations, But Your Work Has Only Started.

That feeling.

The signed contract hits your inbox. You just closed the deal. That shot of dopamine is electric, right? It’s the moment we all chase in sales. We live for the win, the close, the “yes.”

Now, what do you do next?

If your answer is "Find the next lead," you're leaving opportunities on the table. You're thinking like an entry level salesperson, not a long-term business builder.

The biggest misconception in any sales-driven industry is that the close is the finish line. It’s not. It’s not even close. The close is the starting gun. It’s the beginning of your most important work: building an actual, unshakable relationship.

In a world where everyone has a competitor, your product or service will rarely be enough to keep you on top. Someone will always be willing to do it cheaper. Someone else will come along with a shinier new feature. But what they can’t replicate? The trust and loyalty you build with your clients when you prove you care about their success after you’ve already made the sale.

This isn’t just feel-good talk; it’s a hard-line business strategy. Research from Bain & Company has shown that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by anywhere from 25% to 95%. Think about that. Focusing on the clients you already have is one of the most profitable things you can do.

So why do so many businesses and sales professionals get it wrong? They’re transactional. They get the signature and go dark until it’s time for a renewal or an upsell. That’s lazy, and it’s a massive vulnerability.

The real work—the empire-building work—starts the second after the deal is done. That’s your moment to separate yourself from the pack.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Master the Post-Close Follow-Up: Your communication after the close should be more memorable than your pitch. The deal is done. The pressure is off. Now you can connect on a human level. A week after the sale, send a handwritten thank you card. Two weeks later, call them. Not to sell them anything. Just to ask, "How is everything going? Are you happy? Is there anything at all I can do to make this experience even better for you?"
   

2. Become Their Unrivaled Resource: You are the expert. Act like it. Be their go-to person for anything related to your field. They should feel like they have a direct line to the best in the business. When you prove your value beyond the transaction, you become indispensable.
   

3. Remember the Details: Did your client mention their birthday is around the corner? Put it in your calendar. Is their company’s anniversary coming up? Send a congratulatory email. Did they mention their favorite coffee shop? Send them a $10 gift card. These small, genuine gestures show you weren’t just listening to find an opening to sell; you were listening because you actually care.
   

This is the philosophy I’m using to build Skala Industries.

In my industry, the micro market service industry, anyone can set up a kiosk with snacks and drinks. My competitors can offer the same products. But they cannot replicate the Skala Industries experience, because that experience is built on me and my team’s obsession with our clients' satisfaction long after their market is installed.

When we visit one of our client locations, we're not just there to stock inventory. We're there to talk to the people who use our market every day. "What items do you wish we had?" "How has your week been so far?" We’ll chat with them on a personal level, and, we'll even give out free items occasionally. It's those little moments of generosity that your clients will remember about you.

I know that there are other companies that can provide a similar service. But I operate with the relentless belief that the experience my clients have with me will be so positively memorable, so exceptional, and so personal that they would never even think of going anywhere else.

Too many companies neglect their clients. They see them as a number on a spreadsheet. That is unacceptable to me, and it should be unacceptable to you, no matter what field you’re in.

Stop chasing the close and start building the relationship. The first is a paycheck. The second is a legacy.

Your work isn't over. It's just beginning.

Oh and by the way, if you are tired of the lackluster vending machines at your workplace and want to elevate your workplace experience, let's talk about what a Skala Industries micro market can do for your team. Learn More Here: https://forms.skala.industries/