So you’ve closed the deal, won the sale, or negotiated the contract. You may even have just been successful in winning that ebay item that has eluded you for many years.
Yet as the hours and days passes your not happy.
What started with a cheer of success is now becoming cloaked in doubt and growing regret. You’re not sure why and no matter how many people congratulate you something just doesn’t seem right.
Your mind wanders and you start to question everything. Could you have got a better deal? Did you pay too much? Is this what I really wanted? How can I feel this way when I won?
Don’t be alarmed, winners regret is now in full force.
It may seem like nonsense to others but it is a feeling that is experienced by sales people and negotiators everyday.
But how can you avoid this feeling?
Well, the steps start much earlier in the process.
The extent that you experience this feeling is dependent on a number of factors all of which are linked to your preparation. Do your analysis. Know what you want, what is a suitable conclusion (e.g., price, duration of contract, review period, terms and conditions etc). These will help to validate your decisions.
A word of caution, this doubt can also emerge when a deal closes too quickly. You may feel that you’ve been conned in some way. However, if you have completed your preparation in advance then you should not be overly suspicious. It may be that the other party is only not as prepared as you are. In such cases you may want to seek guarantees from the other party - just in case!
