A major frustration for salespeople is dealing with prospects that can\u2019t seem to make a decision. Perhaps the biggest of those frustrations is struggling with prospects who indicate the desire to make a decision (and to do so by a certain date), but when the date rolls around, they invariably need more time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How many times have prospects told you, \u201cI need more time to make a decision\u201d? Too many?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In those situations, it\u2019s easy to blame the prospect for being indecisive, uncommitted, and a procrastinator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, does the prospect deserve all of the blame? Shouldn\u2019t some of it fall on your shoulders? Perhaps, the major share? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your estimation of the prospect\u2019s willingness to make a decision should begin at the start of the selling process when you are digging into and defining the prospect\u2019s need. If the need has existed for some time, why has the prospect waited to address it? If the need is relatively new, is the prospect really ready to move on it? By exploring those questions, you should gain some sense of the prospect\u2019s eagerness to make a decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, the magnitude of the positive consequences of fulfilling the need or the negative consequences of not fulfilling the need should give you some indication regarding the prospect\u2019s sense of urgency to make a decision. If the consequences, either positive or negative, are meager, then the prospect\u2019s motivation to make a decision is also likely to be meager. If, on the other hand, the consequences, either positive or negative, are significant, then the prospect\u2019s motivation to make a decision, and make it in a timely manner, is also likely to be significant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exploring the duration of the need and the consequences of fulfilling the need should give you a fairly good idea of whether you\u2019re dealing with a \u201cmotivated buyer\u201d who is likely to make a decision in a reasonable amount of time or a \u201ctire kicker\u201d who is likely to need more time to make a decision\u2026or never make one at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another aspect of the selling opportunity that will influence the timing of a decision is the complexity of the prospect\u2019s decision-making process. The more people involved in the buying decision and the greater the number of different corporate levels participating in the decision, the lengthier the process is likely to be\u2026.and the more likely decision target dates will be missed. The need to do a thorough job of identifying the prospect\u2019s decision-making process (including the \u201cwho,\u201d \u201cwhat,\u201d \u201cwhen,\u201d \u201cwhere,\u201d and \u201chow\u201d elements) should be obvious. The more you understand the process, the less likely you\u2019ll be surprised\u2026and disappointed by it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another element that contributes to \u201cI need more time\u201d requests is the salesperson\u2019s failure to secure firm commitments from prospects, in advance of scheduled presentations, to make decisions at the conclusion of those presentations. All too often, salespeople consider it a given: they will make a presentation\u2026and the prospect will make a decision. End of story. But, it\u2019s rarely the end of the story. Without the prospect\u2019s firm commitment for a decision, it\u2019s more likely to be the beginning of a story entitled, \u201cThe Quest for the Elusive Decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By carefully evaluating your prospects\u2019 needs (including their motivations for and consequences of fulfilling them) and, where your evaluation indicates the appropriateness of scheduling presentations, securing firm commitments from those prospects to make decisions, you will reduce\u2014perhaps even eliminate\u2014the requests for \u201cmore time.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A major frustration for salespeople is dealing with prospects that can\u2019t seem to make a decision. Perhaps the biggest of those frustrations is struggling with prospects who indicate the desire to make a decision (and to do so by a certain date), but when the date rolls around, they invariably need more time. How many…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":167,"featured_media":11895,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1120],"tags":[1114,1026,1115],"class_list":["post-11894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-prospect-qualification","tag-prospecting","tag-qualifying"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n