How To Handle The “I Need to Think About It” Objection

Every one of our sales training clients in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto have heard this from their buyers.  Yet, it holds no geographic barriers.  It’s one of the most frustrating objections you can hear as a Professional Salesperson.  Your first thought is to reply “So, what is it you need to think about?”  While some Salespeople might be tempted to be that direct, delivering it without the feeling of being pushy can be a challenge.  Here are a few great ways to handle this objection.

I Need to Think About it

This is one of the most common objections you’ll hear.   Followed by “Your prices are too high,” many decision makers throw out the need for more time to think about it on a regular basis.  At the start of your sales career, you most likely felt that this is a fair request.  After all, why wouldn’t we allow a buyer some extra time to think things through to make the right decision?  It sounds reasonable, right?

What experience shows us

After a few years of experience, Professional Salespeople learn that this objection is one of the tougher ones to handle.  Pushing people to make a decision is not a great way to build a trusted relationship.  Many times buyers who want more time to think about it seem to fizzle out and we never really find out the true reason.  This causes us to shudder when we hear those words the next time.

Here’s what “I need to think about it” may mean

Here’s a list of things that buyers may really be saying:

I’m being polite and don’t want to say no.

There are things holding me back from saying yes to your product or service.

You’ve done something to turn me off from buying from you.

Something else that I haven’t shared with you is affecting my decision.

I want more time to consider your competitors.

There are other people involved in this decision.

I really do want more time to think about it.  It seems like a good idea.

Consider this

If you’re hearing this objection on a regular basis, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

Have I talked too much and dominated the conversation?

Am I selling too hard and beating my chest about my company, product and service?

Have I answered all their questions properly?  Did I check by asking them if I did?

Have I addressed the buyer’s needs by asking great questions to find out as much information as possible?

Did I say something that might have turned them off to me, my product or service?

Has the buyer revealed to me his or her reasons or buying signs to purchase?

Has the decision-maker voiced any buying issues or challenges in our conversations so far?

Have I somehow contributed to the reason that the buyer needs more time to think about it?

This self-analysis allows you to be objective and use empathy to try and see the situation from the buyer’s perspective.  Having a strong customer focus will have a big influence on getting to a YES decision and closing sales.

How to handle this objection

Every Professional Salesperson has his or her own unique way of communicating based on their personal comfort level of being direct.  I’ve written these from low to high command.  Choose the one that works best for you.  Reword it to ensure that you’re using the right words for you.   Always consider pushing yourself to try new ways of finding the real objections that maybe causing the buyer to “think about it.”  Always smile and ensure your body language is open and inviting when using any of these techniques.  Practice in the mirror or do a selfie video and watch it back.

Of course, often I like to allow myself some time to consider everything before making a final decision.  When can I get back to you?

When people tell me that they need to think about it, I always have to consider if I’ve missed something in our conversations.  Is there anything else I can answer for you?

Please know that if you do have some level of interest and want more time to think it through, I understand.  However, I also appreciate people who say NO and tell me why.  You won’t hurt my feelings.

Just so I understand your thinking…if you were to say YES, what appeals to you the best about our product?   If you said NO THANKS, what do you think the reason would be?

May I ask you – what’s holding you back from saying YES right now?

The Real Takeaway

When buyers say they need to think about it, Salespeople who want to make more sales must find a way to push themselves to go deeper and probe.  We know that long drawn out decisions tend to fade away into the abyss.  You need to determine if the request for more time is legitimate or just a stalling technique.  Your goal with a buyer is to focus on their needs to see if your product is the right match.  Your ability to know everything that could influence a decision either way is a great contributor to build sales intuition and develop a gut instinct with buyers.  In sales, YES is success and NO is a learning experience.   MAYBE is what drives all of us crazy.

Watch this video to find out what sales trainer Jeffrey Gitomer says about the “I want to think about it” objection.  Invest six minutes to hear his perspective.

What do you think?  How do handle this objection?  Please use the comments section below.

Smart Salespeople make a consistent commitment toward developing their skill set.  It’s the sign of a professional.  If you’re an individual Salesperson looking for cost-effective sales training or Manager interested in training your Salespeople, check out our online program  The Sales Skills Incubator ($199 Canadian) or our book  SHUT UP!  Stop Talking and Start Making Money available on Kindle and paperback on Amazon.

Thanks!

Dave Warawa – PROSALESGUY