You hang up the phone. You press “Send” on an email. You hop in a cab after a lunch meeting.

How do you know that the sales engagement you just completed was a success?

After every single contact with a lead, you should be asking yourself a few crucial questions to gauge your progress and performance.

Ask yourself these three questions at the end of every sales engagement.

What commitment did I earn?

Earning a commitment can sound like a weighty goal, but a commitment can be any kind of small “yes” from the customer. Remember the law of incremental commitment and aim for a series of small commitments that lead to a win.

What are the defined next steps and the timeline around the commitment?

It’s important to hold your customer accountable to the commitment that they’ve made. Define clear next steps and a timeline so that you and your customer are on the same page.

Did I confirm the commitment in writing and add additional value?

Your role as an ambassador of your company’s brand never ends. Show your customer that you’re a trusted resource: add value to the interaction. Send your customer a link to a relevant industry article. Share an upcoming company webinar. Point out an interesting blog post. Whatever you do, make sure you follow up in writing and give your customer something extra to cement and grow your relationship.