Beyond the Sale: Goal Setting That Turns Transactions Into Partnerships
As the year winds down, most sales professionals are busy planning their next set of targets, more calls, more meetings, more revenue. But what if this December, you set goals that don’t just fill the pipeline… but fill the relationship?
The top 1% of sales professionals are not focused on closing more deals. They’re focused on opening more relationships, the kind that create loyalty, advocacy, and long-term growth.
This is the mindset shift that separates the transactional salesperson from the trusted advisor.
And it starts by redefining what success looks like in your sales process.
When you view every customer interaction through the lens of “how can I make this person’s life better?”, you instantly move from being a vendor to being a partner. Instead of asking, “Did I close them?” start asking, “Did I earn their trust?”
At your next team meeting, replace your closing metrics with relationship metrics.
Track things like:
· Referrals earned
· Repeat customers
· Personal check-ins made post-sale
Because influence isn’t measured in conversions, it’s measured in conversations.
Joey Coleman reminds us that the real work begins after the sale. If you don’t design the post-sale experience intentionally, you leave loyalty to chance.
Here’s a framework for 2026 goal setting:
Create experience goals alongside your revenue goals.
For example:
· Within 7 days post-sale: Send a personalized thank-you message or video.
· Within 30 days: Check in to ensure the customer feels supported and satisfied.
· Within 90 days: Surprise them with a “you made the right decision” touchpoint—something small but meaningful.
This isn’t just retention, it is reassurance, and reassurance builds long-term influence.
People don’t buy from the best most polished salesperson, they buy from the person who makes them feel like their story matters. That they matter, and that their a key story to tell.
Influence isn’t about authority. It’s about empathy, clarity, and consistency. When you help your customer win, they’ll make sure you win too.
Ask yourself before every goal you set:
“Does this goal help my customer look and feel like the hero of their story?”
If the answer is yes, you’re no longer selling, you’re leading. And that’s the ultimate differentiator.
Before setting new goals for next year, take 30 minutes this month to review your customer relationships:
· Which ones feel strong enough to last years, not months?
· Which customers trust you enough to recommend you without hesitation?
· Where can you add one small gesture to turn satisfaction into advocacy?
When you set goals that elevate the relationship instead of just the result, you move beyond the sale, and into real influence.
In the end, it’s not about how many deals you close. It’s about how many partnerships you open.
See you in 2026!
Master the Art of Influence: Build Trust, Drive Sales, and Lead Effectively
Are you ready to become the magnetic force that attracts top performers and your best customers?
I’m Kevin Sidebottom—keynote speaker, sales trainer, and author—and I help organizations unlock the power of influence to achieve breakthrough results.
In this blog, I reveal why influence is the ultimate currency in business and leadership—and how you can use it to:
✅ Motivate customers to stay loyal and buy again
✅ Build trust and engagement with your team
✅ Transform your leadership approach to inspire stronger performance
With decades of experience studying why people buy and how leaders earn loyalty, I equip sales professionals and executives to deliver lasting value, strengthen customer relationships, and drive higher revenue.
👉 Featured Resources to Grow Your Influence:
· Email: kevin@kevinsidebottom.com
· The Sales Process Uncovered Membership
· The Sales Process Uncovered (Book on Amazon)
If you’re serious about elevating your sales process, leadership impact, and team performance, this blog will show you the path.