closer inspection , reveal no actual commitment . They contain indecisive , play-it-safe words or phrases that allow prospects ( and customers alike ) to avoid making commitments .
Examples of “ play-it-safe ” language from prospects could include :
• I ’ m inclined to place the order this week .
• I believe that there ’ s a good chance that we will award the project to your firm .
• Things look pretty good .
It ’ s likely you ’ ve heard your share of statements like this from prospects . Perhaps you even considered them “ buying signals .” But how much certainty can you really attribute to words like inclined , good chance , and pretty good ?
A simple reverse – meaning you ask a question that puts the ball back in the prospect ’ s court in a tactful way – can help you uncover the real meaning of these statements . For example :
Prospect : I ’ m inclined to place the order this quarter . Salesperson : Certainly , that would be appreciated . Let me ask you something . When you say “ inclined ,” what does that mean ?
Prospect : I believe that there ’ s a good chance that we will award the project to your firm . Salesperson : I appreciate you telling me that . I ’ m curious , however . When you say “ good chance ,” what does that mean ?
Prospect : Things look pretty good . Salesperson : I ’ m glad to hear you say that . Can I ask something , though ? When you say “ pretty good ,” what do you mean by that ?
Getting to the Reality of the Situation
It may take two or more patient , tactful reverses to expose the real meaning of the statement . If Maria had done this , she would have found out that what Bert really meant was , “ I ’ m impressed enough by what you ’ ve put together here to show your proposal to our CEO – and if he thinks it ’ s a good idea , we ’ ll place the order .” That ’ s encouraging … but it ’ s not the same thing as “ I ’ m sending you the order later today ,” which is what Maria ’ s “ happy ears ” heard .
That ’ s a shame – because if she ’ d only gotten to the reality of the situation , Maria could have set up a meeting with Bert , the CEO , and herself … and saved the deal !
The next time you hear what sounds like a “ buying signal ” from the prospect , avoid the temptation to make his or her words mean what you ’ d most like them to mean . Ask a few questions that clarify what the prospect really means , and work from there . Your closing numbers will thank you !
Eric Fry is Managing Partner with Sandler Training . Prior to Sandler Training , Eric worked for a number of well-known , international organizations including Xerox and Staples Advantage while honing his skills in sales and leadership throughout his career .
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