The proverbial staller

The proverbial staller

Your ideal client is going to be one that says yes to everything you have to offer. Unfortunately that is not always going to happen in most business sales. You will run into the proverbial staller.

The proverbial staller is a prospective client that is going to come up with every excuse as to why they need to wait on purchasing new products and or agreeing to sign on the dotted line, but they acknowledge repeatedly that they need your services. They will tell you they need to think about it and for you to call back next week.

When you call back next week, they will say they have not had time to go over your literature or that they just don’t have time to get started right now. Chances are when you make that third call; you will get the same response or another reason for a delay. Tell the staller that you sense he/she’s not ready to make a decision and give two choices: Either you can call them back in a few weeks, or they can call you when ready.

Here are tips to giving the gentle nudge:

1.Create a sense of urgency with your prospective client. Use tactics such as letting them know they will save money and cut costs if you purchase/agree today. Give them ideas on how it will benefit them greatly if they make their decision as soon as possible.

2.Make your offer/special available today only. Let them know you will gladly call them back in 3 days but the offer you are calling about is good only through business today, this week, or a specific period of time. If they do not choose your service today, the offer will not be the same.

3.Find out the true problem or objection in closing the sale. Get to the heart of the prospective clients issues. If it is a price objection, find out just what it would take to gain their business. Ask questions such as: Is this outside your company budget? Is this more than you can approve? What exactly is the problem?

4.Illustrate to them that your service will benefit them and the sooner they get started, the sooner they can reach the benefits while showing empathy for their concern. For example “Mr. Smith I know it will take a full hour to set up and I know that you are so busy, but it will be saving you 3-4 hours of labor each week or $xx number of dollars each week.

After you’ve been selling your product or service for a length of time, you will be able to answer most objections due to experience. Each time you hit a wall, work out how you’ll answer it better next time. Only you will know best how to answer specific objections to buying what you are selling.

Here are few tips to try to discourage the almighty staller:

• Use hypothetical comments: “What if you were to use/try/do this.”
• Show advantages versus disadvantages. Give them legitimate reasons to sign today.
• Give examples on how current clients in their industry that are benefiting from using your products/services and what it has done for them.

Getting the proverbial staller to sign on the dotted line is quite the challenge but the benefits far outweigh the headaches. Be persistent and demonstrate the need for urgency to gain a long-term relationship with your worthy sales client.