There was once a lady deeply in love, ready to walk down the aisle. But there was one catch—her family insisted she marry a Catholic man. Eager to please both her heart and her family, she embarked on a mission to “sell” Catholicism to her boyfriend.
Day after day, she passionately shared the beauty, depth, and values of the Catholic faith. Her boyfriend, convinced and moved, eventually converted and became Catholic. Mission accomplished, right?
Not quite.
She didn’t stop selling. Even after the conversion, she kept hammering home how wonderful Catholicism was. And then, one day, she came home in tears and told her parents to cancel the wedding.
Why?
Her boyfriend had become so convinced of Catholicism’s virtues that he decided to become a priest—a Catholic Father. And as we all know, in the Roman Catholic Church, priests are not allowed to marry.
The wedding was off.
And so is the lesson: Know when to stop selling.
What Is Overselling?
Overselling happens when, after your client or prospect has already agreed to buy, you keep pitching and promoting the product or idea. This might seem harmless—or even helpful—but it can actually backfire badly.
Just like in the story above, you may end up introducing new ideas, doubts, or alternatives that could reverse the decision entirely
Why Overselling Is Dangerous
- You Introduce New Objections The customer was already convinced. They were ready to buy. But now you’re talking about features, use cases, or limitations they hadn’t considered. That opens the door for them to second-guess their decision.
- You Create Confusion A clear decision can be clouded by too much information. If a client is already happy, continuing to “sell” can overwhelm them and make them feel unsure.
- You Appear Desperate When you keep pitching even after the client has said yes, you might come across as lacking confidence in the product—or in the client’s decision.
- You Risk Changing the Client’s Mind In the same way the lady’s boyfriend became so “sold” on Catholicism that he became a priest, your client might take what you say in a direction you didn’t anticipate—possibly opting for a different solution or deciding not to proceed at all.
The Right Way: Sell, Close, Then Serve
Once you’ve closed the deal, shift your energy from selling to serving.
- Deliver what you promised.
- Onboard them well.
- Ensure they’re happy.
- Be available to answer questions—but don’t re-pitch the sale.
Conclusion
Sales isn’t about pushing. It’s about guiding. And part of that guidance means knowing when to stop. Your job is to take the customer to the finish line—not to run laps after the race is over.
So close the deal, shake hands, and walk away.
Otherwise, just like the lady in the story, you might end up calling off the wedding.
