Often client buying cycles are stretched over many weeks, months or even years. There’s nothing that can be done about it. Long buying cycles come as part of the sales territory.
However, what about the long NO? The situation when we feel a potential client is stalling over their decision: a decision they fear you do not wish to hear – NO, or not now.
While it is true that us humans are wired to a dislike of delivering bad news, very often decision-making is stalled by other forces:
Forces like:
- We are competing against their other priorities – a client has had no time to evaluate our proposition and reach their decision.
- We haven’t asked whether they require more information to help them with their decision – they need some additional help.
- They would like to work with us in future and don’t want to cut us off completely – now is not the right time but they cannot predict what the future might bring.
Prospective clients are busy people, just like you and I. They will engage with us when they are ready to buy, not when we are ready to sell.
Thank you for reading
