You have given a great presentation, you ask for the order and the customer says he‘s going to think it over. This was the moment I felt was the last straw. I’d had it! I don’t want to sell anymore; I’m going back to bookkeeping! So, without a care in mind I said whatever came to mind and it worked! Let me share my epiphany with you.
I was selling employment testing material that was based on the teachings of a well-known sales trainer. The question that brought the most conversation was about closing. How do you ask for an order? When someone says I’ll think it over, do you become the nice customer service type that says “fine, call me when you’re ready” or do you go for the throat and say “what is there to think about?” You know the first response is totally wrong and the second, which is the suggested answer, will probably turn the customer off. You try to say it nicely but at this point it’s likely he’s not going to say much more. What did I do? I said gently and with a smile in my voice, “Mr. Customer, could you think out loud so I can hear you?”