An Obstacle to Closing That You Can Control

There are a number of reasons why a prospect might need to think it over at closing time.  Some may be valid while some may simply be stalls, put-offs, excuses or objections, indicating that you didn’t uncover the real reason a decision was not made.  However, there is one form of “think it over” that you can cause and it is very easy to prevent.

If you are a salesperson who provides your prospects with options, like, “This is good, this is better, and this is the best” then you are actually providing your prospects with information that they must think about.  That’s easy enough to stop.

Assuming that you have read or are going to read Baseline Selling, then the next few steps should make sense.  On the way to 2nd Base, among other things, you uncover the prospect’s compelling reasons to do business and do it with you. On the way to 3rd Base, among other things, you learn what they will spend to solve their problems or address their compelling issues.  On the way Home you present or propose a needs appropriate and budget appropriate solution.  If you have done a thorough job on the way to 2nd and 3rd Bases, there can only be a single solution that is both needs and cost appropriate.  That’s the one you present and you must make a compelling case for it being the single most appropriate solution, considering their budget and their needs.

Why give your prospects reasons to think it over when you could be giving them reasons to buy today?