Tip #368: Are Your Prospects Saying This To You: "Call Me After The Holidays."?

At last, we have reached December, a time of the year when salespeople start to hear prospective buyers say things like:

• "Call me after the holidays."
• "Our business is slow right now, so we won't be buying anything until after the first of the year."
• "We're going to wait until after the first of the year before we change _________."

Unless what you sell can be given as a holiday gift, this time of year presents a unique and difficult challenge for many salespeople.

Here Are Just A Few Responses For Handling A Prospect Who Is Delaying A Buying Decision:

• "I understand. Some businesses are putting off _____________ until after the first of the year, and because of that, I wanted to see if your company qualifies for our new cost saving ____________ program (or whatever your special offer is called), which has an extra bonus if you sign up by December 31st . This would save you X%."
• "I can relate to things being slow right now. By the way, I wanted to share with you a new _______ package to introduce our (insert your products/services here). How many employees are on your payroll?"
• "I can relate to things being slow right now, but tell me, will anything change after the first of the year that will prevent you from starting then?"
• "I understand. What day after the first of the year would you like to start your _____________?"
• "I understand. We can deliver the products now and bill you after the first of the year. Does that work for you? On top of that, you will save X% by avoiding the 2012 price increase."

What You Say After Being Told "No" Will Prompt Prospects To Tell You Their Real Objection.

Often times, the reason prospects stalls their buying decision is because they are afraid of taking a risk. They may be thinking, "Suppose this _________ doesn't work for our situation-then I'll be in trouble." In addition to fear, another reason prospects may be stalling is if their cash flow is off and they are not authorized to make any purchases. Whatever the real reason may be, you need to flush-it-out and solve it.

If A Prospect Still Says "No" Here Is What You Need To Do:

Here are three suggestions for when you run into people who want to put things off until after the first of the year.

• Schedule a follow-up call for the first week of the year.
• Place them in your weekly e-marketing campaign, so your company's name stays in their conscious and subconscious mind.
• Send them relevant information about their industry versus notes asking, "Are you ready to buy yet?"

Executive Summary: If prospects are delaying their decision to buy from you, we recommend offering an alternative close. By doing so, you will most likely find the underlying cause of why they are not buying from you - remember, people like "end-of-the-year" deals to make them feel good about getting a great deal.

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