You will get walked step-by-step through common sales call structures. You will see how professional salespeople successfully handle each stage toward solving the buyer's problem. Hopefully, you will get a purchase order from the meeting — or at least be one step closer to buyer approval. However, there will be an additional step after the meeting that you should consider now: the exit survey.

Just as in an election, pollsters take an exit survey to help politicians understand the reasons why voters made their decisions. Politicians want to know what worked, what didn't, and what to do next. Sales professionals can perform their own exit survey using their personal perceptions as well as asking prospects these questions. Feedback is a vital component of all processes, including sales.

What Worked?

Once the presentation is over and the “vote” is in, you'll have a relatively good idea of what worked. You may be able to identify what points of your presentation were best received or seemed to garner the greatest interest. Future sales presentations will tell you even more about what elements of your efforts were best understood and acted upon by participants. Whether you present to one or one hundred, you will have a sense of what worked.

However, that is only your perception. To make your analysis more complete, you must go beyond your own observations and ask participants what worked. Of course, some will say “great presentation,” but still not buy. They may not want to hurt your feelings, or they may not have analyzed their own.

Instead, you must ask open-ended questions that require more detail than a “yes” or “no” answer: “What was the main point that encouraged you to purchase?” The discussion following can help you analyze how prospects buy. You will see your presentation from their perspective — the only one that ultimately matters.

What Didn't Work?

Whether your sales presentation met your goal or didn't, chances are that some elements weren't as effective as others. What were they? You probably know what at least some of them were. Maybe a sample that broke when handled or a handout that had spelling errors. You know what went wrong maybe even better than your prospects.

However, you still need their perceptions. Buyers may have laughed off the broken sample but were bothered by the spelling errors. Or vice versa. In any case, the prospect's opinions are more valid than your own. Make sure that you ask for them.

Your buyer's answers, especially if you encourage candidness, can help you not only in the current sales process, but also in future ones.

What's Next?

Everyone makes mistakes. Not everyone learns from them. A professional salesperson cannot afford not to learn from what worked and what didn't in a sales call or presentation. That's why an exit survey is critical to your success. The mistakes may be avoidable in the future. Make sure that every sales presentation you make, large or small, includes an exit survey of some type. Avoid closed-ended yes/no questions, and encourage participants to be frank with you. Your future as a salesperson and the satisfaction of your buyers may depend on it.