Getting the Commitment

A recent question to sales expert Colleen Francis asked how to deal with the people who "need to think about it." Take Colleen's advice, and you may be able to get those people thinking - right away!

The trick with this objection is determining whether it's a real objection or not. Some prospects toss out this objection because they want to get rid of you. Some prospects really do need time to think about it. How can you tell them apart? Here is a highly effective two-step model you can use to get to the real hesitation, while giving you the right information required to close the business.

1. Stop, look and listen

Start by doing nothing at all. Wait patiently for 3 seconds whether on the phone or in person. Silence creates a space between you and the objection that's needed for the prospect to jump in and provide more information. Since most prospects are uncomfortable with the silence, they tend to provide you with details of their objections within 1-2 seconds. This technique works amazingly well IF you are disciplined enough to bite your tongue for just 3 seconds. Client Autumn Shirley swears that this is the most effective sales technique I have taught her in 5 years of working with me!

When the prospect does jump in, they will elaborate on the "let me think about it" objection and reveal their true concerns. Maybe they have to take your proposal to their manager. Maybe they have to wait for budget approval. Or perhaps they are waiting for a partner to present an alternative solution. Regardless of what they reveal it will be valuable information for you to know.

2. Emphasize and Ask

After you have been silent, it's now time to speak up, but always in the form of a question first. To test the legitimacy of the objection, start by empathizing with the prospect and follow up with a clarifying question. For example,

Prospect : "Let me think about it."
You : "Thanks for letting me know, I think it's smart of you to consider all your options. I'm curious..."

--" what concerns do you still have? " or
--" what is causing you to hesitate? "or
--" what is your number one concern about not proceeding further? "or
--" how will you make a decision to go ahead or not? "

When used together, these two steps allow the prospect a comfortable environment to open up in and help you determine if the objection is real, a stall tactic, or worse - just a put off!

Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Start improving your results today with Engage's online newsletter "Engaging Ideas" and a FREE 10 day intensive sales eCourse.