Quick answer
How do you get a customer to make a decision?
To get a customer to make a decision, find the real reason they are waiting, then show what doing nothing is costing them. Jenny Cartwright's seven strategies range from removing practical barriers to asking “Why aren't we doing business with each other yet?”, and she recommends booking a follow-up call within 2 to 3 days.
Why do customers put off buying?
You know the sort: the prospect who always says they will buy from you in the near future. They ask you to call back in three months, then three months more. Or they were keen on the first call and have gone quiet ever since.
Indecision is rarely laziness. Usually one of these is going on:
- They do not yet see enough value to act now rather than later.
- There is a concern they have not told you, often about return on investment.
- Someone else has to approve the decision.
- They are comparing you with other options.
- Something practical is in the way, such as timing, cash flow or the effort of getting started.
It also helps to remember that very few people are ready to buy at the exact moment you call. Most prospects need several conversations before the timing is right, so a delay is normal rather than a failure. What matters is whether each conversation moves them one step closer.
Each cause needs a different response, which is why pushing harder rarely works. Jenny's seven strategies begin with your own approach and finish with a straight question.
Start by changing your own approach
Before blaming the prospect, ask yourself two questions. How will I change my approach to create more interest in going ahead now? And what information would make this prospect glad they took my call?
Think about what the prospect wants to gain and what they want to avoid. A business owner might want a fuller appointment diary, and want to avoid wasting another quarter on leads that go nowhere. When your next call speaks to both, the conversation feels completely different. Jenny's questions to use on a telephone sales call will help you uncover them, and the sales mindset covers the persistence these deals demand.
How do you find the real reason for the delay?
Ask. Many salespeople avoid the direct question because they fear the answer, yet the answer is exactly what you need to move forward.
YouSarah, we've spoken a few times now and you've said this is something you want. What's the real reason you're not going ahead now?
ProspectHonestly, I'm not sure we'd get our money back.
YouThank you for telling me. So it comes down to return on investment. What would you need to see to feel confident it would pay for itself?
ProspectSome idea of how quickly it would make a difference.
You can also ask what decision-making criteria they will use, or put the likely concern to them gently: “Are you saying that because you're not sure you'll get a return on your investment?” Once a hidden objection is out in the open, answer it with the techniques in how to handle objections.
How do you show the cost of doing nothing?
Indecisive customers often weigh your price against spending nothing at all. Jenny turns that around by working out, together with the prospect, what the current situation is already costing them.
Name the problem
Agree on the problem in their words, for example missed enquiries, slow quotes or a team that avoids the phone.
Put a number on it
Ask how many hours or sales it costs each week, then multiply it out over a month and a year.
Compare the two
Set that figure beside your price so they can see which is the bigger cost.
Ask the question
“How long do you want to go on losing that?” Ask it gently, then stay quiet and let them answer.
YouLet's work out how much it's costing you to do nothing about this. How many enquiries a week go unanswered?
ProspectMaybe five.
YouAnd what is a new customer worth to you, on average?
ProspectAround [amount].
YouSo if even one of those five would have bought, that's [amount] a week, or [amount times 52] a year. How long do you want to go on wasting that?
Use the prospect's own numbers, not yours. Figures they have given you are far harder to dismiss, and working them out together feels like solving a problem rather than being sold to.
How do you remove the barriers to saying yes?
Sometimes the prospect wants to go ahead but something practical stands in the way. Make the decision easier:
- References. If they ask for references before deciding, agree, but first get a solid commitment that they will go ahead once they are satisfied with what they hear.
- Effort. Offer to do the work they are dreading. Jenny once offered to find the extra participants a prospect needed for an in-house training day herself, and the stalled booking went ahead.
- Timing and cash flow. Near the end of the year, separate delivery from billing: “We can deliver now and invoice you on [date] in January.”
- A smaller first step. Offer a shorter session, a pilot or a lower-cost starting product, so the first decision feels small.
Going the extra mile like this costs you a little time and often saves weeks of chasing. It also shows the customer what working with you will be like.
When should you ask “Why aren't we doing business yet?”
When a prospect has delayed several times and you have built a good relationship, ask the question Jenny recommends:
YouMichael, can I ask you something? We get on well and you've said this would help. Why aren't we doing business with each other yet?
ProspectFair question. To be honest, I've been waiting for my manager to sign off the budget.
YouThat helps. What could I put together that would make it easier for your manager to say yes?
Asked warmly, the question shows respect for both of your time and usually brings the real issue to the surface. If the answer is a firm no, accept it gracefully. As Jenny says, no often means “not now” rather than “never”, so note when to call again and keep in touch.
How do you keep following up without becoming a pest?
Persistence closes many of these sales, as long as every contact adds something. Agree a specific callback day before each call ends, then ring exactly when you said. Between calls, send something useful: an article, a short case example or an answer to a question they raised.
Keep a short record of every stalled prospect: what they said, the real reason if you know it, and the next action with a date. Review the list each week and look for patterns. If the same reason keeps coming up, the fix may belong in your telesales script or your offer rather than in another follow-up call.
Sales managers can use this as a coaching checklist for the pipeline. Every stalled deal should have a known reason, a next step and a date. Jenny's guides to the follow-up call and how to close a sale cover what comes next.
Outstanding presenter at Professional Services Sales and Marketing Conference Sydney 2018. Really liked Jenny's very interactive presentation, how she got the audience's mood up right from the start and how she had great use of humor with lots of useful information. This was a positive, energetic and really practical presentation with great information on the importance of following up.
Pipeline full of maybes? Jenny can coach you through your stalled deals one by one.
Explore one-to-one coachingFrequently asked questions
Why do customers say they will buy later and then go quiet?
Usually the urgency they felt on the first call fades and nothing new replaces it. Other priorities take over, or a concern they never voiced grows. A specific callback date, a reason to act now and a direct question about what is holding them back all keep the conversation alive. Silence is rarely a final answer, so keep following up politely.
How do you create urgency without pressuring the customer?
Base urgency on facts, not tricks. Show what waiting costs them each week, mention genuine deadlines such as a booking window, delivery lead time or a price change you know is coming, and link the decision to a date that matters to them, such as their busy season. Never invent a deadline, because once a customer catches a false one, trust is gone.
Should you offer a discount to get an indecisive customer to decide?
Use discounts sparingly. A discount can tip a prospect who is already convinced, but it rarely persuades someone who doubts the value, and it teaches customers to wait for a better deal. Look first at the real reason for the delay. Often a payment plan, a smaller first step or separate delivery and billing dates solves the problem without cutting your price.
What if the real decision maker is someone else?
Find out early who else is involved and what they care about. Offer to speak to them directly or to join a short call together. If that is not possible, give your contact a one-page summary covering the cost of doing nothing and the return they can expect, so they can present your case well. Then agree when you will call to hear the outcome.
When should you stop following up an indecisive prospect?
When they tell you clearly that they will not buy, or ask you not to call again, stop, thank them and note it in your CRM. Until then, keep contact regular and useful. If several calls produce no progress, ask the direct question about why you are not doing business yet. The answer tells you whether to keep going or move on.