7Overcoming Indecision

A large focus of selling is to move people from the position of “no” and secure a positive outcome. My personal experience tells me something different. I believe that the bigger opportunity for sales success lies within influencing the volume of people who are stuck in the position of “maybe” or looking to decide at another time.

Following a sales conversation, you are certain to find many people remain undecided after all your efforts. They may provide you with an objection, excuse, or reason why they can't do business at this time. In all the industries I have served and all the people I have trained, the objections received typically fall into one of the following categories:

  • Not the right time
  • Need to discuss with someone else
  • Shopping around
  • Happy with existing supplier
  • Need some time to think about it
  • Too expensive

This chapter will explore how you can avoid, overcome, and negotiate this indecision to result in increased sales from the opportunities you create.

Avoiding Objections

Pretty much every objection that you have ever faced could have been avoided if you'd asked great questions earlier on in the sales process. Take a look at your most common objections and think about how they can be avoided before you even recommend your solution. If the objections you receive are recurring, then your first step should be to develop a series of questions that you can ask during the qualification stage that allow you to gather the evidence required ...

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