Team Alpha 375

Make the most of the honeymoon period

Tony Rutigliano and Brian Brim

You've won the deal - now it's time to cultivate the relationship for the long-term.

The best time to do this is, according to one rep we met, is "the honeymoon."

"It's the one or two weeks immediately following the formal signing of a contract," he explained. "The commitment is solid, no one's made a mistake, no one's been fired. This is the worst time to step back, because you'll never have a chance at a totally positive emotional time again."

The honeymoon is the perfect time for clients to find out what to expect from the sales reps -- and for the reps to show what they expect from clients. It's the ideal time to get the core customer team together with your core internal team. "Bring them together to have dinner and celebrate the new relationship. Introduce everyone, discuss the future, build some personal connections, and make sure the client leaves knowing what everyone needs to be successful in the work," he said.

It's also the perfect time to ask for access to the company. And we mean that literally - a key card, an on-site office, or an invitation to the weekly staff meetings - but also access to the people who will be important to the longterm relationship. If you need to know the CEO, this is the time to ask for a meeting.

You can also demonstrate how you deliver value. Perhaps it's a guaranteed turnaround on their requests or a specific level of quality. Remember, people love getting more than they think they're paying for.

The honeymoon is the time to set up the parameters of the relationship. Base the relationship on trust and collaboration, and your honeymoon will extend into a very happy marriage.