Corporate training providers: lost-deal review
Use this lost-deal review exercise to learn from a buying decision without turning the feedback conversation into another pitch. You are discussing a practical skills workshop with follow-up exercises with a learning lead supporting a sales team. The point of the practice is to make a useful decision together, including recognising when the offer is not a fit.
Record a useful learning, its evidence and a specific improvement to test in future deals.
The situation
In this fictional brief, participants understand the concept but do not practise it at work. The buyer wants observable practice of one job-relevant skill. Your offer is a practical skills workshop with follow-up exercises, but you must first establish whether its scope addresses the actual need.
A relevant delivery constraint is that participants have different experience levels and limited release time. Treat that as a fact in the exercise; do not remove it to make the sale easier.
| Your counterpart | a learning lead supporting a sales team |
|---|---|
| Offer under discussion | a practical skills workshop with follow-up exercises |
| Evidence available | a sample exercise, scoring rubric and follow-up manager checklist |
| Terms to clarify | Specify preparation, delivery, follow-up, materials and usage rights. |
How to approach lost-deal review
A useful question for this stage: “At what point did one option become a better fit for you?” Ask it when the conversation creates a reason for it, rather than reciting every question in order.
- Ask permission, keep the discussion short and explore the decision process. Record direct feedback separately from your interpretation.
- Ground the discussion in the buyer’s work. Ask: “What should someone do differently on the job after the session?” Listen for a concrete example before making a claim.
- Use evidence relevant to the decision: a sample exercise, scoring rubric and follow-up manager checklist. Explain what it demonstrates and what remains unverified.
- Record a useful learning, its evidence and a specific improvement to test in future deals.
An industry-specific concern
Buyer: “Our team can watch free videos instead.”
Possible response: “Videos may cover the information. Let us establish whether your team needs explanation, supervised practice or feedback on actual behaviour.”
Why this response helps: it acknowledges the concern, brings the discussion back to a verifiable requirement and leaves room for a different decision. Adapt the wording to what the buyer actually said.
Run the practice
- Prepare for two minutes. One person takes the seller role and one plays a learning lead supporting a sales team. Read the offer and constraint separately from your preferred answer.
- Have a five-minute conversation focused on learn from a buying decision without turning the feedback conversation into another pitch. The buyer should answer consistently with the brief and ask for evidence when a claim is vague.
- Add this challenge: The buyer gives a polite, vague answer. Ask one concrete follow-up, then respect their decision to stop.
- Pause for feedback. Quote one useful question and one missed opportunity. Repeat the difficult exchange using a different response.
- Finish by writing the actual agreement. A sensible option, when it fits, is to run one exercise with a small group and inspect the feedback. A clear decision to pause is also a useful outcome.
What to avoid
| Common mistake | Arguing with feedback or asking questions designed to prove the buyer was wrong. |
|---|---|
| A stronger direction | Thank you. What would we have needed to understand earlier? |
| Scope and claim boundary | Attendance and satisfaction do not prove behaviour change. |
| What to measure in real work | completion and quality of the agreed practice task. Establish a baseline and definition before interpreting a change. |
An example conversation
If you are comfortable sharing, what mattered most in your decision?
Our concern is that participants understand the concept but do not practise it at work. Also, participants have different experience levels and limited release time.
What should someone do differently on the job after the session?
Our team can watch free videos instead.
Videos may cover the information. Let us establish whether your team needs explanation, supervised practice or feedback on actual behaviour.
At what point did one option become a better fit for you?
Your working sheet.
Make the exercise your own. Notes are saved in this browser when storage is available. Download a copy to keep; avoid confidential information on a shared device.
Example: participants understand the concept but do not practise it at work; participants have different experience levels and limited release time.
Example: At what point did one option become a better fit for you? Industry question: What should someone do differently on the job after the session?
Example: a sample exercise, scoring rubric and follow-up manager checklist. Attendance and satisfaction do not prove behaviour change.
Example: Propose a clear next step, such as: run one exercise with a small group and inspect the feedback. Confirm the owner and date.
Review your work
This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions
Who is this corporate training providers exercise for?+
Can I use the example as a script?+
How should I assess the result?+
Fictional training scenario. The dialogue illustrates response choices; it is not a customer testimonial or a record of a real sale.
Explore more sales resourcesTake the conversation further.
Read a practical guide to structuring your sales practice, or explore the current London sales masterclass.
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