The next time someone tells you that they need to “think about it,” I suggest you have the following response: “I can understand. After all, it is an important decision and you need to do what is best for you and your organization. Tell me, what specifically stands out from our conversation that is of interest to you?” The goal of this question is to get clarification on how much the prospect is really interested in what you have shared and whether or not the prospect feels they want to move forward. Is there sincerity in the response, or are you being blown off?
You should follow up by saying, “Since you need to think about it, it tells me that you have some concerns. What are they?” Some salespeople are scared to ask this question. They are afraid of the answer. The problem with not asking, though, is you might miss out on the business simply because you never had the opportunity to address the prospect’s concerns. In fact, the hardest objection to overcome is the one that is never verbalized to the salesperson. Ask what is holding them back from making a decision, and then hopefully you can help alleviate their concerns and get the sale back on track.
