Customer objection: answering the famous "I'll think about it" question

In this blog, we share with you the results of research carried out by Modjo's data team. We give you the keys to understanding the ins and outs of your business processes.

Our research is based exclusively on the anonymous analysis of sales appointments and commercial telephone conversations.

Our aim is to help you improve your performance by giving you our advice, helping you to improve your sales approach, helping you to solve problems in the field, responding to even the most difficult customer objections and dispelling preconceived ideas.

If you're a salesman: Don't forget that you only spent 21 hours on all of last year's training, whereas Roger Federer spent almost 1,095 hours on the practice court practicing moves he already knew by heart.

Handling the customer's objection: "I'll think about it".

"I'll think about it": every sales professional knows what I'm talking about. We're nearing the end of our appointment, struggling to know whether the prospect is finished or not, and now wondering:

"So, what do you think?

"Listen, thank you so much for all this information, I'll take some time to think about it and get back to you soon."

And then panic! 😱

What's worse is that, for fear of losing credibility, we prefer to nod with an embarrassed smile and let our prospect go so that he can take his time to think things over.

Obviously, we don't foresee a next step, and to reassure ourselves, we say: "Frankly, I feel fine. After all, it's normal to take time to reflect before making a decision.

But what are you going to say to your manager when he asks you: "Did your meeting go well?

You: "Yes, very good! This is clearly going in the right direction!"

With experience, we know that a date that ends with "I'll think about it" doesn't bode well. UNLESS you know how to respond.

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We explain why this customer objection is not inevitable!

Our team of data scientists analyzed sales calls and appointments for almost 11,356 opportunities and made some astonishing discoveries.

First result: "I'll think about it" has no negative impact on your commercial success:

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Even if that sentence sounds like a hidden objection and our sale ends with a "NO! don't panic.

The data shows us that our prospect is really thinking. That's great news!

The bad news, however, is that if the success rate is not affected, your sales cycle will lengthen by almost 173%.

Why do some of our sales meetings end with "I'll think about it"? How can we prevent this from happening? It all depends on when the customer's objection is expressed.

How do you react when an objection is made halfway through the sales cycle?

Reason for objection: they like it, but one detail makes them doubt it.

Your answer :

Indeed, I think it's wise for you to take the time to think about it. In general, when someone says to me: "I'll think about it", it can be for 2 reasons:

- "Either you're not interested, which I understand perfectly well, and I'd like to thank you for your time"

- "Or, you're interested but I missed something at our meeting and you're not sure about it".

If you've really forgotten something important, they'll say: "No, we're interested, but it's just that... blah blah blah". And they'll tell you the real reason for their hesitation.

👉 Next step: as soon as you know what makes them hesitate, set up a next appointment. At this appointment, you'll address exclusively what makes them doubt. Reassure them and prove that there's no reason to doubt.

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Why is this customer objection used at the end of the sales cycle, and how can it be dealt with?

Reason for customer objection: they're convinced, but they need to find a way to convince other internal stakeholders.

If you're sure you're in contact with a decision-maker, they may need to validate your product subscription with their CFO.

Your answer :

Of course, I understand. Most of the people I talk to these days are on increasingly tight budgets, and I imagine you are too. Can I make a recommendation to sell the project internally?

👉Next step: Understand who the other stakeholders are in the decision-making process. What does a buying process look like with them, and what potential obstacles might you encounter? Help your champion sell your service/product internally.

To understand who the stakeholders are, you can ideally refer to tools or services already in place where the purchasing process should be similar to yours.

Avoid the classic question: "Are you a decision-maker?" Your interlocutor will be tempted to say he is, when in fact he isn't (I promise you we'll investigate and come up with a figure on this very soon).

Ask: "When did you implement Service/Product that made the final decision?"

Finally, don't leave the closing of your sale to chance, and help your champion sell your product internally.

If you apply these tips, you should quickly notice changes in the way your sales process works. Don't worry if it doesn't work perfectly on the first few calls.

Keep practicing, listening and analyzing your requests for small areas of improvement. It'll pay off! 💪

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Better,