How to Overcome Time Objections in Sales

How to Overcome Time Objections in SalesHow to Overcome Time Objections in SalesIts not uncommon to hear a sales prospect say, I need to think about this, or Let me think about it and get back to you, just when youre about to close the sale. These are classic examples of delaying or time objections. Usually, one of two things is happening - either the prospect is considering your offer but needs mora time to do some other things before hes ready to buy, or he has no intention of buying and just wants to get rid of you.? In the latter case, youre almost certainly not going to close the sale - although you might have better luck a few months down the road. If the prospect isnt interested, then following up at this point is a waste of your time. Therefore, the first step in dealing with a timeobjection is finding out if the prospect is even considering makinga purchase from you. Get More Information To uncover the truth, youll need more information. Usually, the best way to find o ut is to ask the prospect directly. You can say something like, Absolutely. Can you tell me a little more about whats holding you back? Your prospect may then admit that he needs to get approval from his boss or that he will be talking with a few of your competitors. If he wont give you any specifics, thats a warning sign that he may simply be uninterested. The prospect might also feel that he needs more information. In that case, you may be able to get things moving at once by giving him the facts he wants. For example, a prospect might use a timely objection to give himself a chance to check on your products reviews online and see if you have a good or bad reputation with customers. If you can get him to admit as much, then handing him a few testimonials or even calling up an existing customer for him to speak with can be enough to close the sale then and there. Establishing a Time Limit If you cant get more details, try establishing a time limit. For example, you can say, OK, lets talk next week and see if youre ready to proceed then. Ill give you a call - does Thursday at 11 work for you? A prospect who refuses to platzset up a follow-up conversation is not serious about proceeding further, and you might as well put them in your inactive file. If the prospect agrees to set a time for another chat, your sale is still on track. You can also try probing for information with other people who know your prospect. This might mean having a talk with the gatekeeper (you did make a point of being friendly and likable with her, right?) or checking your network to see if anyone you know is also the prospects friend or colleague. One approach that definitely wont work is to try to push the sales cycle along then and there. A time objection is the prospects way of asking you for a chance to let him work on the purchase in his own way. He may just want to sleep on it or he may need to collect more information before hell be comfortable with finalizing things. If you try to push him into making a decision now, youre denying him that chance and youll only make him more uncomfortable and probably angry with you. And of course, if he simply isnt interested in buying then hassling him will only make him more determined not to do business with you.